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Rural communities face unique challenges in the fight against prescription drug misuse. According to research from the American Academy of Family Physicians, those in rural areas have an 87% higher chance of receiving an opioid prescription compared to those in metropolitan areas. Many of these prescriptions go unused and are easily accessible in the home medicine cabinet.
A 2017 Morning Consult survey sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union found the opioid epidemic has struck farm and ranch families particularly hard: 74% of farmers and farmworkers say they’ve been directly impacted by the opioid epidemic. In addition, 3 in 4 farmers say it’s easy to access large amounts of opioids without a prescription.
Removing unused prescription drugs from the home is crucial to prevent drug diversion, misuse and abuse. However, rural residents often lack easy access to drug disposal resources; they are located further away from drop-off sites and many can’t get away from the farm during the busy months of April and October to participate in DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events.
The Minnesota Farm Bureau is working to combat the impact of the opioid epidemic on farm families by addressing the barriers to drug disposal in rural areas. Through donations from Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI), the Minnesota Farm Bureau has distributed 20,000 Deterra® Drug Deactivation and Disposal System Pouches to families across the state. Deterra Pouches are distributed to the community at county fairs and Night to Unite events and via local law enforcement, veterinarians, pharmacies, hospice, and other organizations.
“It’s our job to bring awareness and resources to rural Minnesota that help combat the opioid crisis,” says Ruth Linkenmeyer Meirick, Director of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation. “The Deterra Pouches are an opportunity for farm families who can’t get to places to dispose of drugs to do so within the privacy of their own homes.”
In addition to providing an immediate and discreet medication disposal solution, distributing Deterra Pouches enhances the Farm Bureau’s “Farm Town Strong” initiative to raise awareness about prescription drug misuse and encourage people to share their stories.
“Minnesota’s farm families are some of the strongest families around, but no one can stand alone against this epidemic, which is why FarmTownStrong.org was created,” says Linkenmeyer Meirick. “When groups come together to share resources and insights into prevention and recovery, that’s when everyone wins, and that’s how we will be able to overcome this epidemic in our communities.”
Deterra has given the Minnesota Farm Bureau a convenient way to dispose of unused or unwanted medication along with providing a unique strategy to combat the opioid epidemic. Deterra is the perfect fit for farm families and farmworkers because they can properly dispose of their medications in the comfort of their home, making them safe for the normal trash and minimizing environmental contamination. In addition, distributing Deterra has created opportunities to connect with community members and encourage open conversations about the opioid crisis, drug dependence and the stigma of addiction.
“We’ve created conversations that there are avenues of help and provided opportunities for others to share their stories and learn from each other,” says Linkenmeyer Meirick. “We’ve educated others on safe and affordable ways to dispose of opioids, and why that is important.”
“There’s a crisis happening in rural communities, and it’s our duty to keep farm families and rural communities safe,” Linkenmeyer Meirick says. “We’ll overcome the opioid crisis together through farmer to farmer support and the resilience of our communities.”
Visit DeterraSystem.com/government to explore how other organizations are using Deterra or reach out to (612) 568-1128 or Sales@DeterraSystem.com to discuss how to implement at-home drug disposal initiatives in your community.
