In the ongoing effort to raise awareness about Ocean County's heroin epidemic, Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato is holding another forum, "Can We Talk? Are You Listening?" on Tuesday, October 22, at Pinelands Regional High School.

Ocean County drug forum on 12/12/13
Ocean County drug forum on 12/12/13 (Ilya Hemlin, Townsquare Media NJ)
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Parents, guardians, teachers and students are encouraged to attend the event from 6 to 8 p.m.

Al Della Fave, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office spokesman, said the message is simple: "To figure out a way where we could break this cycle of addiction and help people start to turn things around."

65 people have died this year from drug-related overdoses in Ocean County, as opposed to 95 during the same period last year, according to Della Fave.

"It's a perfect opportunity to see something that will really give you great insight into the problem."

The forum includes, Anthony V. Pierro, Supervising Assistant Prosecutor with the Juvenile Justice Unit, featured speaker mother Maureen Morella, whose son Jesse tried heroin once and is now in a wheel chair, special guest speakers Dr. Tony Juneja, former New York Giants Running Back Keith Alias, Trish Horner, Steve Willis from Hope Sheds Light, and New Jersey Assembly members Brian E. Rumpf and DiAnne C. Gove.

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