There are many ways you can help keep your community safe. This month, there's a unique opportunity to do that and help address opioid misuse in your area.
The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) of Washington, is a new group that is bringing together local, state and national leaders to find lasting solutions to our state’s opioid crisis. One of our initial focus areas is focused on safe storage and disposal of prescription medications.
Many addictions begin when someone, especially a young person, misuses prescription medication, including when they misuse medicine that was prescribed to someone else. In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 80 percent of people who use heroin, first misused prescription opioids.
When taking any prescription medication, it’s important to secure it so that others, especially children, cannot access and take it. And, when you no longer need the medication, it’s equally important to safely dispose of any unused portion. Both of those steps help prevent misuse – and preventing misuse can help prevent addiction.
Saturday, October 26 is National Prescription Take Back Day. This bi-annual event serves as a reminder to clean out your medicine cabinet and help keep your family and friends safe.
RALI Washington is proud to partner with all of our partners this Take Back Day.
Throughout the coming year we’ll be working to educate consumers about the importance of safe disposal and many of our partners will be distributing safe disposal kits that can help you safely dispose of unused medicines right at home.
You can also find a takeback day disposal site near you, by visiting https://takebackday.dea.gov/. Be sure to check out our site to learn more about safe disposal and the warning signs that someone you know may be misusing opioids.