[Pharmwaste] news items: Tennessee; Sharps; Pride

[Ed Gottlieb]

Tennessee has the right idea with, "three simple steps":



Count It! Lock It! Drop It! ™ (CLD), a comprehensive community program for prescription drug abuse prevention, has added 26 counties since its statewide launch last summer.

In June 2016, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation approved a grant to fund the program’s expansion to areas identified as “hot spots,” which are counties with high numbers of prescriptions dispensed, overdose deaths and babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

The program, now offered in 58 counties, suggests three simple steps that anyone can practice to keep their medications out of the wrong hands:

  *   Count pills every two weeks to monitor theft and help ensure medications are taken properly;
  *   Lock and store medications in a secure place where others would not think to look; and
  *   Dispose of unused or expired medications at drop boxes or during take-back events.

http://www.pharmiweb.com/pressreleases/pressrel.asp?ROW_ID=238391#.WZrlSGnyuUk

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Sharps lead to limits on take-back and new proposal:



"Boston lawmakers are considering a bill that would require pharmacies to accept and dispose used needles. Something law enforcement officers and residents, both told 22News, they think is a good idea."



"East Longmeadow’s prescription drug-take back box is open to the public 24/7, as is the case with most police departments, except for Lee. After police found 3 boxes containing sharp needles. It’s now by appointment only.

But not everyone is happy about the proposal. According to the Boston Globe, the General Counsel for the Retailers Association of Massachusetts said, “Retail pharmacies are not waste disposal sites; they are not in the business of waste disposal.”

http://wwlp.com/2017/08/17/bill-could-require-pharmacies-to-accept-and-dispose-used-needles/



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Taking pride in doing take-back:



MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT:

As chief of staff for the NMAGO, I worked on legislation against human trafficking, formation of New Mexico’s first anti-corruption investigation unit, internet crimes against children issues, statewide methamphetamine, prescription drug, and opioid addiction issues, and prescription take back efforts.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1050931/about-michelle-garcia-holmes.html

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Board Member, New York Product Stewardship Council
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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