NIX Opiates
Who Are We?
The Ohio ACEP Opiate Awareness Team is comprised of Ohio emergency physicians dedicated to fighting the opioid and heroin addiction crisis. Through the NIX Opiates program, the Team focuses on prevention by engaging with high school students and their parents and presenting a powerful, up-close look at the devastating effects of addiction and overdose.
Created and developed by Ohio emergency physician Dr. Ryan Squier, NIX Opiates brings local emergency physicians into high schools to speak candidly with teens and parents about the dangers of both prescription and street opioids and how easily and quickly a person can become addicted.
Why Emergency Physicians?
Emergency room physicians have been on the front lines of the opioid epidemic for years. As the doctors who fight daily to save opiate overdose victims, our viewpoint makes us uniquely qualified to talk about the disease of addiction and the deadly consequences of overdose.
To date, the Ohio ACEP Opiate Awareness Team has visited 22 high schools and organizations, reaching more than 10,000 students and parents.

Parents, students, and school staff, if you’re interested in bringing NIX Opiates to your school, district, or student organization, call us at 614-792-6506 or email OpiateAwarenessTeam@ohacep.org.
NIX Opiates Resources
As part of NIX Opiates, Ohio ACEP, Dr. Squier, and Alexander Rogers of Post Epic Video, produced a powerful short film, “I Ask Myself Why,” to accompany the presentation.
Check out the NIX Opiates Fact Sheet for more information, tips to help end the epidemic, and addiction treatment resources for opioid users and their families
NIX Opiates in the News
NBC4 Columbus - ER Doctors show teens the dark side of opiates |
NBC4 Columbus - “NIX Opiates” begins program in schools to protect students from drugs |
CBS 10TV Columbus - Discussing opiates, addiction at Thomas Worthington High School |
Olentangy to host parent forum on opiates, heroin
Delaware Gazette
Nix Opiates to educate parents about drug abuse
This Week Community News New Albany
#EndTheEpidemic | #NIXopiates
News Media
For media inquiries, contact Ohio ACEP Executive Director, Holly Door, at hdorr@ohacep.org.
Thanks to Our NIX Opiates Presenters:
James Chan, MD, FACEP
John Nagel, MD
Nancy Pook, MD, FACEP
John Queen, MD, FACEP
Ryan Squier, MD, FACEP
Marni Teramana, DO
Join Us
Emergency physicians, will you help us #EndTheEpidemic? If you're interested in serving as a presenter or have questions, email OpiateAwarenessTeam@ohacep.org with your contact and school district information or give us a call at 614-792-6506.
Read the Call-to-Action to Ohio's EM Physicians from NIX Opiates' Dr. Ryan Squier.
NIX Opiates materials were developed with an ACEP Chapter Grant and are available for use by any member of ACEP.