The Deterra Project: Preventing Prescription Medicine Abuse
Summit County Community Partnership was pleased to kick off a drug prevention initiative on August 31, 2016 aimed at preventing the pipeline to addiction. Summit County Community Partnership has received a donation by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals of 40,000 drug deactivation pouches that will be distributed to senior centers, patients, parents, and families in Akron and Summit Counties to provide a safe and responsible drug disposal method, preventing abuse and misuse of leftover prescription medication.
If each of these pouches are used to capacity, 1.3 million pills will not be available to fall into the wrong hands in our community. These pouches will be distributed to individuals who typically do not have the capacity to utilize one of the many locked DUMP boxes that are available in our community. These pouches make it easy and convenient for individuals to destroy unused prescription medicine in their own homes.
The user-friendly pouch deactivates prescription drugs and renders contents safe for landfills. After filling the specially formulated pouch with prescription drugs and regular tap water, it can be sealed and thrown away with the household trash.
Acme Fresh Market Pharmacy is partnering to make our community safer by offering drug disposal pouches through their 16 neighborhood locations. Summit County residents can access pouches at any Acme Fresh Market Pharmacy location.
In addition to Acme Fresh Market Pharmacy, SCCP is partnering with numerous community organizations to distribute pouches, including Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, AUI, Cascade Village – The Community Builders, City of Akron, City of Barberton, Community Health Center, County of Summit ADM Board, Mature Services, Inc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Summa Health, the Summit County Opiate Task Force, and Summit County Public Health.
This initiative provides an additional way to properly dispose of prescription medication, reaching individuals who are unable to utilize a drug take back box. It is intended to supplement the work of Project DUMP and Drug Take Back Days.