Opioid addiction has led to thousands of deaths nationwide, with 68% of the United States’ 70,000 fatal overdoses occurring in 2017 being attributed to a prescription or illicit opioid. Recently, Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma, agreed to a wide array of settlements totaling to nearly $3 billion over 7 years. Increased awareness about opioids has proved instrumental in assigning accountability to companies and distributors for their role in contributing to the opioid epidemic.

The fifth community event in the continuation of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Initiative, a 2-year initiative focusing on addressing the opioid epidemic through community outreach, prescriber education, parent education, and a statewide campaign to increase awareness of the crisis, was held at the Rutgers Athletic Center to relay the impact of the nationwide opioid epidemic, specifically on athletes.

Here are 5 things to know.