St. Louis County has launched an initiative aimed at combating opioid abuse. The “Anyone Can” campaign seeks to spread awareness that addiction can affect anyone, while empowering individuals through education and resources to get help.
According to a study released last week by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse nearly three people a day died of opioid overdoses in St. Louis in 2018, making it the 12th consecutive year of rising drug-related deaths for our region. The Anyone Can website shares personal stories of addiction, as well as resources for those seeking to break the cycle of opioid abuse.
“Anyone Can is a crucial message for the public,” said county executive Sam Page. “As a doctor, I know first-hand that addiction doesn’t discriminate based on Zip code, income or race. Anyone can become addicted – but anyone can offer help, too. We have to remove the stigmas that prevent people from getting help, inform the public on how to employ Narcan, and expand prescription drug monitoring programs that give providers tools for early intervention.”
“We honor the powerful stories of real St. Louis community members who share their experiences as a message of awareness, resilience,and hope,” said Spring Schmidt, acting director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. “We join them in the desire to connect everyone in the community to information, treatment, resources and recovery assistance to make a difference in this crisis.”
For more information on the Anyone Can campaign, visit anyonecanstl.org.