Millburn, NJ, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The next webinar in the 2026 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series will examine kratom, its effects and the potential risks associated with kratom and emerging kratom-derived products. The free session, “Kratom 101: What You Need to Know,” will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 19. It is presented by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), the Office of Alternative and Community Responses (OACR), the Opioid Education Foundation of America (OEFA), Fed Up and the Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, Inc.
The webinar will feature Dr. Andrew Kolodny, MD, medical director of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where his research and policy work focus on the opioid addiction epidemic.
Kratom is a plant-based substance used for its stimulant and opioid-like effects and is sold in forms including powders, teas, capsules, edibles and liquid extracts. In recent years, more concentrated kratom-derived products have also emerged. America’s Poison Centers reported 3,803 exposure cases involving kratom or kratom derivatives in 2025. Through June 30, 2026, Poison Centers had received 3,190 reports, putting cases on pace for a nearly 68 percent increase over the previous year.
“Kratom products are becoming increasingly visible and accessible, but many people may not fully understand what they are taking or the risks involved,” said Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ. “Education is especially important as new and more concentrated products enter the market. This webinar will give families, healthcare professionals and community partners an opportunity to hear from a leading expert and better understand kratom, its effects and the concerns surrounding its use.”
This webinar will be the first of two about kratom with a second one scheduled for February 25, 2027.
The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series has reached over 10,000 participants annually, providing continuing education to professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, emergency services, and community leadership. Since its launch in 2020, the series has featured national and state-level experts who bring a multidisciplinary perspective to combating opioid misuse.
The initiative is part of the broader Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day campaign, held statewide on October 6, which brings together communities and prescribers to raise awareness about the risks of opioid misuse. In 2025 alone, New Jersey saw 1,316 suspected overdose deaths, underscoring the need for sustained, inclusive outreach and education.
To register for the webinar and learn more, visit: knockoutday.drugfreenj.org
###
Best known for its statewide anti-drug advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception the Partnership has garnered 233 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.
Lisa Batitto Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey 973-467-2100 news@drugfreenj.org
