SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Diego District Attorney office on Thursday rolled out a new, research-driven opioid awareness campaign aimed at addressing misconceptions, changing behavior and reducing the number of opioid-related overdose deaths in San Diego County.
According to the D.A. office, there have been more than 2,200 opioid deaths since 2008 in the county.
"This is an epidemic taking lives," said San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan. "(This campaign) is not supposed to just educate and bring awareness, it is supposed to change behavior."
The San Diego Opioid Project will be an online, digital outreach campaign powered by the D.A.s office and the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.
Stephan said that this is a data-driven initiative, aimed at changing the misconception that people can abuse prescription opioids 'safely'.
"Just because it comes in a pill, that doesn't mean it's safe," Stephan told News 8.
"Your brain will react to an opioid in a pill the same they will react to heroin."
