each one of us could be one prescription away from an opioid addiction that's the message from former NFL player Ray Lucas who spoke today at a conference in Atlantic City put on by the partnership for a drug-free New Jersey Lucas shared his story of overcoming an opioid addiction after leaving the NFL and as Ted Goldberg reports he warns of the pitfalls that can face other young athletes struggling with pain I'm not afraid of any man gun knife you can bring anything you want to me I'll step right to you but I am afraid of a little circle pill like I'll run for the hills when Ray Lucas played in the NFL painkillers helped him through the hurt that came with an 8-year career you do what you have to do to stay on the field if you're in the training room you're in danger after graduating from Ruckers and playing professionally Lucas says he got addicted to opiates almost immediately after retiring I had a serious back injury at four and five fuse together with a 4 uh 2in steel plate four screws and they took three completely out I've had seven spinal fusions he's spoken about his struggles for more than two years and his latest stop was the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City Lucas was one of the speakers at a conference hosted by partnership for a drug-free New Jersey focused on preventing young athletes from becoming addicted to opioids it's scientifically proven that adolescents are 10 times more likely to become addicted than grown men I was a grown man when I became addictive and it happened like that youth athletes are prone to injuries and because of that they were at greater risk of being prescribed and addictive opiate experts presented Grim statistics about the opioid epidemic even as more people are aware of risks and Narcan has become more available it's leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45 and if you think about that if you break that down per day over 112,000 Americans dying that's over 300 people a day or D I'm very much of a holistic person so I completely disagree with how doctors prescribed opioids is such a strong medication and like like we saw today like it is killing so many people and I feel with as a physical therapist it's very holistic as you're using exercise as a form of medication Melanie gerado is a student at Felician University and came here with some of her classmates when told a lot of young people get addicted from dental treatment gerado had personal experience with that I had gotten my wisdom teeth taking out and my doctor actually prescribed me opioids but being that I was a minor my mom didn't let let me so because she said no I actually didn't end up taking opioids instead I took ibuprofen and I had I had no pain because I was taking iin your doctors when they prescribe you an opioid because they really don't understand the risks and benefits and your mom may have by telling you not to take that prescription may have may have saved your life there was some good news from today brandise University Professor Andrew kadney says in recent years fewer infants are born with opioid dependency though it's leveled off a bit since the pandemic as for Lucas he says he'll continue speaking to young people about the dangers of opioids I'm paying it back and an addiction you have to pay it back you cannot get what I got and then not share it I was conditioned my whole life not to ask for anything if you can't go get it yourself then you don't deserve to have it my saying now is when you for help that's courage and Lucas will keep sharing his message to anyone who wants to listen in Atlantic City I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news support for the medical report is provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey an independent lense of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association [Music]