The National Association of Broadcasters unveiled a new campaign Tuesday to educate the public about the "epidemic" of opioid and prescription painkiller addiction currently plaguing many communities across the nation.

NAB is teaming with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to raise awareness about opioid abuse. The campaign will include public service announcements, news coverage, and the development of a print and online toolkit for broadcast stations with ideas for prevention, programming and community outreach.

"As first informers in times of crisis, broadcasters understand the power of the public airwaves to educate Americans about dangers affecting their lives," NAB CEO Gordon Smith said. "Today, we are pledging those airwaves and other resources to combating an epidemic that has touched the lives of millions of our citizens."

Opioid addition has soared in recent years, driven by abuse of prescription painkillers, according to NAB. Every day 2,500 U.S. teens abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Deaths from opioid abuse increased 248 percent between 2010 and 2014, with 78 Americans dying every day from an opioid overdose.

"Today's opioid crisis requires an ‘all hands on deck' approach to affect change and reverse this public health epidemic," said Marcia Lee Taylor, CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

More information is available at www.nab.org/addiction.

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