Coalition to Help Fight Opioid Epidemic Among Student Athletes

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General

AUSTIN (News Release) – Texas has launched the “Friday Night Lights Against Opioids” coalition and a large-scale pilot program to help stop the opioid epidemic from destroying Texas communities and hurting our young people—especially student athletes.

The coalition aims to distribute over 3.5 million at-home medication disposal packets at high school football programs across Texas between October 27 and December 17. The packets will be distributed to high school athletes, parents, and community leaders. The distribution will be combined with public service announcements made during football games and educational materials to be sent to over 1 million parents, guardians, and students in concert with the Texas High School Coaches information network.

The coalition is comprised of public officials, NFL Hall of Famers, Texas football legends, and community leaders from across the state. The Texas Attorney General’s Office is partnering with the Texas High School Coaches Association, DisposeRx, Inc., and the National Child ID Program to successfully implement this program and help protect our children.

“With prescription drug misuse on the rise among high school students, more must be done to keep our students safe,” said Attorney General Paxton. “That’s why I’m proud to help launch this program to ensure that we’re doing everything possible to make sure that our children are safe and that unused opioids can be disposed of promptly and properly. It will take all of us—public officials, educators, parents, coaches, and community members—working together to end this epidemic, and that’s why this coalition is so vital.”

The coalition and program were announced at a press conference hosted by Attorney General Paxton on Wednesday, October 12.