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Upstate Medical, Syracuse Crunch partner on opioid- abuse prevention campaign

Upstate University Hospital CEO Dr. Robert Corona speaks at a Jan. 6 news conference announcing an opioid-abuse education campaign. (PHOTO CREDIT: UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Medical University and the Syracuse Crunch are partnering on a public-education campaign to fight opioid use and overdose. Assemblymember Pamela Hunter (D–Syracuse) secured a grant to help fund the program, Upstate Medical said in a release. Crouse Health is also participating in the campaign. Howard Dolgon, who owns the Syracuse Crunch, […]

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Medical University and the Syracuse Crunch are partnering on a public-education campaign to fight opioid use and overdose.

Assemblymember Pamela Hunter (D–Syracuse) secured a grant to help fund the program, Upstate Medical said in a release. Crouse Health is also participating in the campaign.

Howard Dolgon, who owns the Syracuse Crunch, said the team will develop an initiative to use its platform and players to bring messages to general audiences. The Crunch will also connect with athletic trainers and student-athletes on issues related to opioid use.

Dr. Robert Corona, CEO of Upstate University Hospital, applauded the participation of the Crunch in this initiative.

“Athletes are heroes to a lot of kids,” Corona said. “A lot of the kids that end up taking pain medications are athletes. So, their heroes are people like the Crunch athletes, so they’ll listen to them.”

Opioid abuse may result from the misuse of prescribed drugs, Upstate Medical said. Prescription opioids are often prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain following surgery or injury, the health system noted.

Eric Reinhardt