– “How to combat the opioid epidemic in our community”
“Today, I want to tell you about a simple step you can take to reduce the risk of opioid abuse in our community. I’m talking about properly disposing of old or expired opioid medications in your medicine cabinet. Maybe it’s the painkillers you were prescribed after getting wisdom teeth removed. Or the drugs that you held onto when caring for a loved one recovering from surgery. Regardless of where you got them, chances are if you can find these drugs in your medicine cabinet, your children, a friend, or a family member can stumble onto them just as easily.

Why it matters:
“The opioid epidemic has claimed the lives of thousands of Washingtonians, and nearly half of those deaths are due to overdoses involving prescription opioids. I’m sure many of you reading this e-newsletter can point to a friend or family member who has been touched by opioid addiction in some way. This epidemic doesn’t discriminate based on age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. It affects all of us, and so we all need to be part of the solution.

What to do:
1. Track down expired or unwanted medication lying around the house.
2. Find your nearest prescription take back location, which can be found at participating pharmacies, city halls, and law enforcement offices. Click here to find a location near you.
3. Drop off your old medications.
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