Drug deactivation: a solution to the opioid epidemic

Prevention is more than dispensing less, it’s about removing the abundant supply of prescription opioids from circulation to prevent abuse and misuse. When it comes to opioids and other powerful — and dangerous — medications, the problems facing the country are well-known.

Dangers In your medicine cabinet

The root of many of these problems is right in your homes. More than 60 percent of people with leftover prescription opioids keep the pills for future use rather than disposing of them, with 1 in 5 reporting they shared their medication with another person (known as “diversion”). We all know this leads to misuse and addiction.

Even when leftover drugs are disposed of, they are often flushed down sinks and toilets or improperly disposed of in the  household trash, where these still potent drugs can harm our environment. Additionally, wastewater treatment plants are generally not designed nor equipped to remove pharmaceuticals which means that these drugs make their way into our lakes, rivers, streams and soil.