State Kicks Off Don't Get Me Started Campaign

Continuing the state's efforts to address the growing problem of prescription drug addiction, Tuesday Director Orman Hall, of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS), announced the launch of Don't Get Me Started, a statewide public service campaign that speaks to young adults and their friends and family, in partnership with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA).

Officials say that in 2007, accidental drug overdose became the leading cause of injury death in Ohio, surpassing motor vehicle crashes and suicide for the first time on record.

Governor John R. Kasich commented on the campaign, "Prescription drug abuse has besieged communities across the state, destroying the lives of young people and adults. We've made tremendous strides to improve access to treatment, shut down illegal pill mills, go after doctors over-prescribing prescription painkillers and educate young adults statewide about the dangers of prescription opiate abuse. This lifesaving effort will grow even stronger through this campaign."

Don't Get Me Started drives Ohio residents to www.dontgetmestartedohio.org to watch videos of five Ohioans who each share a unique story about how prescription drug addiction has impacted their life. The site features an interactive map of local Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Boards; a link to treatment options in each county; information about the opiate abuse epidemic around the state; and links to other partners in the war on drugs, including GenerationRx, a joint venture between Cardinal Health and The Ohio State School of Pharmacy, as well as the Ohio Department of Health Prescription for Prevention campaign.

The campaign will be featured on posters at hundreds of convenience stores and other organizations around the state, each with a QR code linking to an individual story; limited billboards in highly-affected counties; online banner ads on music, social media and gaming sites popular with young adults; and a dedicated Facebook page where those affected by prescription drug abuse can share their own story.

"In a little more than a decade, there's been a 900 percent increase in the number of prescription opiates prescribed for pain per Ohio resident2," said Cheri L. Walter, chief executive officer of OACBHA. "We applaud the ODADAS and Ohio's Alcohol and Drug Addiction Boards and their local partners for demonstrating a strong commitment to addressing the opiate epidemic in Ohio."

ODADAS Director Orman Hall added, "The steps we are taking to wipe out this opiate epidemic have to include less opiate prescribing and effective addiction treatment for Ohioans who need it. With support across state government and in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, we will change the course of opiate addiction, whether it's from painkillers or heroin."

To hear the stories of real people impacted by the prescription painkiller epidemic, and to get information about treatment options in each county, visit www.dontgetmestartedohio.org. To join in the prescription opiate conversation online, visit www.facebook.com/dontgetmestatedohio.