Sarasota, Fla. -- Safe disposal of prescription drugs is crucial, especially in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
“We’re considered ground zero in the state of Florida for overdose deaths,” said Kameroon Boykins, Coalition Coordinator for the Drug-Free Sarasota Coalition.
Boykin says it’s not safe to wash them down the drain or flush pills down the toilet.
“If you flush them down the toilet, different residues get into our waterways,” said Boykins.
Drop off boxes at law enforcement agencies is one good way to dispose of prescription drugs, but not everyone can make the trip.
Boykins said, “Safe disposal is something everyone can participate in. It’s easy, it’s simple, and in Sarasota County, it’s free.”
Sarasota offers an alternative -it’s a drug deactivation system in a pouch called Deterra to do at home. Inside are smaller pouches filled with carbon.
“This renders the prescription drug ineffective,” said Boykins.
While some pharmacies charge for these drug deactivation pouches (we paid about four bucks for a bag of Deterra at Walmart), there are ways you can get them for free.
The Health Department in Sarasota County and Sarasota’s Drug-free coalition have a unique partnership where you can stop by and pick one up for nothing.
You can stop by one of the health department offices and go up to the receptionist and ask if they have one of the drug deactivation pouches, and they’ll give you one, no questions asked and at no cost.
Sarasota has given away 15-hundred pouches of Deterra in the last year. The bags are biodegradable and around 90 pills fit in each one.
How do you use one?
Boykins explained, “You unseal the bag, pour unused, expired prescription medicine. You fill the bag halfway with warm tap water. You wait 30 seconds. “You seal the bag and shake gently. You toss it in the trash”
Boykins said the pills are completely dissolved and no longer harmful.
The drugs don’t make it into the hands of someone with an addiction.
Walmart offers a similar product called DisposeRX also at no cost.
Instead of mixing the pills in the pouch, one empties the deactivating powder in the small pouch into the medicine bottle with the pills and fills it 2/3 with warm tap water. Then you just have to shake it.
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