CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The second “Face of Opioid Addiction” TV spot, which began airing statewide Jan. 1, tells the story of Tullahoma resident Judy Jenkins, who lost her adult daughter to a prescription painkiller overdose.
“Until I started counting each pill in my pill bottle, I had no idea she was taking from everything I had,” said Jenkins. She hopes her experience will help others realize the importance of actively managing and securing prescription pain medication.
Jenkins said she is proud to support the Count It! Lock It! Drop It!™ program, a community approach to prescription drug misuse and abuse that expanded in 2016 through a $1.3 million BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation grant to counties with high rates of opioid overdose and deaths.
In addition to TV spots, the ongoing campaign features radio and print ads that will run in outlets across the state over the next year.
The Count It! Lock It! Drop It!™ program encourages community members to:
- Count It! Count pills every two weeks to monitor theft and help ensure medications are taken properly.
- Lock It! Lock and store medications in a secure place where others would not think to look.
- Drop It! Take unused or expired medications to drop boxes located in participating law enforcement offices or pharmacies or during take-back events.
For more information on Count It! Lock It! Drop It!™ or to locate a drop box, visit www.countitlockitdropit.org.
About BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, Inc.
The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, Inc. was established in December 2003 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized to promote the philanthropic mission of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. The foundation awards grants focused on high-impact initiatives across the state, which promote healthy lifestyle choices and help control health care costs for all Tennessee residents. Working with civic and economic partners, the foundation is dedicated to the support of research, innovative programs and creative approaches to improve the health and quality of life of Tennesseans for generations to come.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s mission is to provide peace of mind through better health. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on serving more than 3.4 million members in Tennessee and across the country. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company's website at bcbst.com.
