Affinia Healthcare is providing a safer way to dispose of unused prescription medication at home.
The St. Louis-based health care provider is offering more than 200 free Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal System pouches. Kenyatta Johnson, the pharmacy director at Affinia Healthcare, said the need follows an upward trend of drug overdoses in the region.
“As we have seen, there’s been an increase and especially the number of opioid overdoses in the last couple of years,” Johnson said. “So, with the introduction of the Deterra Drug Deactivation pouches, it’s giving people the opportunity to be able to dispose of drugs safely.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 107,622 drug overdose deaths across the country in 2021. That’s a 15% increase from 2020. Johnson said oftentimes unused prescription drug medication gets into the wrong hands, including young children and pets.
“If they’re not sure what they’re taking or how to use them, an overdose could happen because they’re not familiar with the medication,” Johnson said. “The medication was not prescribed for them and then they’re not sure how to take it, what they’re taking or how it would affect them. And so it’s affecting them in a way that overdoses are happening.”
The pouch is designed to dispose of all kinds of unused prescription medications including pills, liquid and creams. Each pouch contains an organic activated carbon to deactivate the drugs. Once the contents of the pouch come into contact with water, the magic happens.
“Let it sit for about 30 seconds,” Johnsons said. “You may see some foaming and that’s OK. That’s what it’s supposed to do. At that time, after about 30 seconds you would close the pouch, gently shake it, and then you would be able to dispose of it in the normal trash.”
The free pouches are available at Affinia’s pharmacies at 1717 Biddle St. and 2220 Lemp Ave.
