BUFFALO, N.Y. -- We all have some, or know someone who does... unused and unwanted medication floating in drawers or in cabinets in the bathroom. For many, they just sit collecting dust. But sometimes, they end up in the wrong hands.
"Got a lot of these curious kids,” said Karl Fiebelkorn, Senior Associate Dean at UB’s School of Pharmacy. “They'll just try something and can get addicted to it pretty easily."
Seeing the prescription drug abuse problem grow exponentially in our region, Fiebelkorn asked Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals for drug disposal pouches. The Missouri-based company donated 20,000.
"More or less makes them inert. Just binds them up so they can't be used again,” Fiebelkorn said.
And a purple, opaque pouch is what does it all. It takes care of about 45 pills, 6 ounces of liquid, or even 6 patches – it only takes 3 steps to get it done.
"Think like a Ziploc bag,” said Fiebelkorn. “Dump them in here, in the pouch. Add warm water from the tap. Zip it back up again. And shake it up."
Deterra, the company that created the biodegradable product, said the pouch contains activated carbon. Drugs will dissolve in the water and become deactivated once they touch the pack. Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is often given to patients in the emergency room when they ingest too many drugs.
"It will never, ever, ever impact the health of people, and won't have a negative impact on our environment,” said Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Local politicians like Peoples-Stokes explained she plans to pass them out at an upcoming Masten block club breakfast - many attendees are senior citizens.
Peoples-Stokes said, "There's no question they have medicine cabinets full of drugs they no longer use. And here's an opportunity for them to be able to get rid of those as well."
Fiebelkorn added the pouches are getting passed out at area health fairs. He hopes they'll be used in addition to the drug drop-off boxes that exist across Erie County.
"You brought you drugs in, if you know someone who has them left, here's some pouches you can use,” said Fiebelkorn. “I'm going to have an army of students sending these things out. Especially into area pharmacies."