Three in 10 say they or a family member has been prescribed opioid as pain medication

A majority of New Jerseyans are at least “somewhat” familiar with storage and disposal of opioids and other medications, and less than 3 in 10 report that they or a loved one has been prescribed an opioid as pain medication in the past two years, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

Forty-two percent of residents polled in December say they are very familiar with the proper guidelines to store and dispose of any form of medication, opioids and/or edibles in a household, 32 percent are somewhat familiar and 23 percent aren’t familiar; 2 percent are unsure.

“Sizeable familiarity with storage and disposal is likely due to state laws that require doctors to inform patients of the potential dangers of such medications and available alternatives, as well as PSAs from organizations like the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and the presence of drop boxes and other advertised disposable opportunities within communities,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick.

Twenty-nine percent say they or a family member has been prescribed an opioid as a pain medication in the past two years, while 68 percent say they haven’t. There is little variation among subgroups.

“The percentage of New Jerseyans who claim they or a family member has been prescribed an opioid has significantly declined since we last polled the issue in 2018,” said Koning. “New Jersey is now one of the states with the lowest opioid dispensing rates in the country.”

Women claim to be slightly more familiar with storage and disposal guidelines than men. White residents likewise claim to be more familiar to some extent (82 percent) than Black residents (73 percent), Hispanic and Latino residents (63 percent) and residents who are multiracial or from other backgrounds (63 percent). Familiarity increased by double digits among older people compared with those 18 to 34 years old (55 percent).

Among those who say they or a family member has been prescribed an opioid as medication in the past two years, nine in 10 (91 percent) say they are at least somewhat familiar with storage and disposal guidelines, compared with seven in 10 (69 percent) of those who haven’t been or whose family hasn’t been prescribed opioids.

“We are encouraged by the heightened awareness among New Jerseyans about the proper storage and disposal of medications, including opioids,” said Angelo Valente, executive director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “But the persistent misuse of opioids within our communities underscores the need to continue our education and prevention efforts. Every resident must be equipped with life-saving information on the addictive properties of their medications, proper disposal methods, and the availability of safer, non-addictive alternatives to manage pain.”

Thirty-eight percent say they have a family member or close friend who is or has ever been addicted to drugs; 59 percent say they don’t.

Reports of knowing someone who has or has had an addiction are less common among residents who are multiracial or of other backgrounds (24 percent) compared with white residents (42 percent), Black residents (42 percent) and Hispanic or Latino residents (39 percent). Nearly half (46 percent) of those in the lowest income bracket report someone close to them being currently or formerly addicted to drugs. More than half (54 percent) of those living in the southwestern area of the state report having a loved one who has or has had an addiction, more than residents any other region of New Jersey. Those with some college education or less are more likely to report someone they care about being addicted at some point than those with a college degree or more education.

Those who say they or a family member has been prescribed opioids are slightly more than one-and-a-half times more likely than those who haven’t had this experience to say they have a loved one who is or has been addicted to drugs (52 percent versus 32 percent, respectively).

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,657 adults contacted through multiple modes, including by live interviewer on landline and cell phone, MMS text invitation to web and the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from Dec. 13 to Dec. 23. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. The registered voter subsample contains 1,451 registered voters and has a margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points.

Date: April 25, 2024

Media Contact: Ashley Koning, (908) 872-1186