“When the Prescription Becomes the Problem” Social Media Campaign Targets Overdoses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week launched a social media campaign called “When the Prescription Becomes the Problem.” The campaign is designed to raise awareness of prescription painkiller abuse and overdose.

The CDC is encouraging people who have been affected by prescription painkiller addiction to share their stories on social media, Forbes reports. The campaign urges people to write their six-word story or message, create an original picture or a video tagged #RxProblem, post it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by May 15, and ask friends and followers to share it.

“Starting April 6th, help us tell the stories of the many people whose lives have been affected by prescription painkiller addiction or the death of a loved one,” the CDC says on its campaign website. “Encourage those in need to seek treatment for addiction. Celebrate others who are already working to change lives, and inspire our communities to improve patient safety and the way we treat pain.”

“Prescription drug overdose devastates individuals, families and communities,” said Erin Connelly, Associate Director for Communication at the CDC’s Injury Center. “We’d like to get everyone talking and thinking about the risks involved with opioid painkillers.”

There were 16,235 deaths involving prescription opioids in 2013, an increase of 1 percent from 2012, according to the CDC.