Counties to receive drug deactivation pouches
PARKERSBURG — Wood and surrounding counties in West Virginia will each receive 1,000 drug deactivation pouches for the proper disposal of unused or outdated prescription medications, officiuals said on Tuesday.
Mallinckrodt, a global specialty pharmaceutical company, is donating 55,000 pouches, 1,000 for each county in West Virginia.
“The sheriffs in West Virginia are very happy to be able to help get prescription drugs off the street and prevent their abuse by any means possible,” said Rodney Miller, executive director of the West Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. “This project lets people destroy unused or unwanted drugs in a safe manner before they can get in the hands of potential abusers or children who could accidently consume them.”
The drug deactivation pouches were purchased and donated by Mallinckrodt.
The user-friendly, pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. After placing pills in the specially formulated pouch and adding regular tap water, it can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash, making the disposal process convenient for all.
“The Bureau of Senior Services welcomes the opportunity to be a part of this statewide program to help fight drug abuse in West Virginia,” Robert Roswall, commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services, said. “It is important that our state’s seniors do their part in this fight as well. Providing seniors information and an easy and efficient way to dispose of unused and outdated medicines has the potential to make a serious impact on the fight against drug abuse in the Mountain State.”
The donation is part of Mallinckrodt’s nationwide 1 million pouch donation initiative to help combat the abuse of prescription pain medications, which is one of the top public health threats in the country, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
The donation was announced at Winfield Middle School for National Red Ribbon Week.
“Prescription drug abuse has devastating effects on countless families across our nation,” Manchin said. “I have made a promise to the people of West Virginia and to the American people that I will do everything I can to beat this epidemic and to help those in recovery return to the lives they once enjoyed, drug-free. An important part of keeping prescription drugs out of the wrong hands is proper drug disposal, and that is what we hope to accomplish through this statewide initiative.”
The sheriffs are the county coordinators of the program where citizens can obtain a pouch. The pouches, which will be delivered in the coming weeks, are made by Verde Technologies.
The pouches will be delivered to the county coordinators in the coming weeks.