PHMC launched a statewide campaign to educate youth, parents and employers on opioid use disorder, linking them to preventive strategies, resources and actionable steps.

PHMC launched the PA Opioid Prevention Project campaign this week with outdoor advertising, social media ads, videos and a website. The campaign’s tagline “It’s your move” invites teens and parents to learn more about opioid misuse and promote prevention, safety and wellness in their communities.

Funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, this statewide multimedia campaign aims to prevent opioid misuse among youth, ages 14-18. Some 90 percent of all individuals with substance use dependence started using before the age of 18, and half started before the age of 15 (Dennis et al., 2002).The campaign’s goal is to empower teens and parents with education, knowledge and resources to make healthy choices. What’s unique about the project is that it was developed by teens, for teens. In order to address key issues from a youth perspective, PHMC and Health Promotion Council assembled the Pennsylvania Youth First Council to develop the campaign’s creative approach, style and messaging. The campaign’s strategies were tested using marketing best practices, research, evaluation, focus groups and competitive analysis.

The youth and parent ads bring out relevant issues that surround the opioid epidemic and link to paopioidprevention.org for additional prevention strategies, resources and actionable steps. Check out the youth ads, parent ads, videos and paopioidprevention.org to understand the importance of opioid misuse prevention during adolescence.