[Pharmwaste] Getting Rx drugs off the street — doing more harm than good?

[Ed Gottlieb]

This opinion piece (URL below) reminds us that it is important to remember the big picture when it comes to drug abuse.  It cites studies from about three years ago showing that decreasing the supply of Rx only pushed addicts to heroin.

It suggests we are repeating this cycle by continuing to focus on decreasing supply (take back programs, CURES database, etc.) without putting equal effort into the treatment of opiate addiction to decrease demand.  The author concludes, "If we’re only going to attack the drug supply, then we would be better off doing nothing at all."

This is more than food for thought.  It is a call to action.

http://www.theunion.com/opinion/columns/16854835-113/getting-rx-drugs-off-the-street-doing


Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
fax: (607) 273-8433
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