Laws require pharmacies to provide disposal pouches with opioid prescriptions

Opioid addiction is a huge problem across New York, contributing to a 60% increase in opioid deaths in Albany County from 2019 to 2020.

In Rensselaer County, the new Prescription Opioid Safe Disposal Law requires pharmacies to provide drug-deactivation bags with each transaction of the prescriptions.

“As we all know, we have a severe opioid addiction problem, not only in this county or in this region and in the state, but in the entire nation,” said Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin.