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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Hi All,</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Someone on the Listserv asked me if the rumor of a delay in the publication of the rule is true. Not having heard back from the DEA's office of Public Affairs, I called Special Agent Moses again. </FONT><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">He apologized for not getting back to me, they have been very caught-up in the recent arrest of the head of the world's largest drug cartel.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">After looking into my questions, he repeated his story:</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The first reason it is taking a long time is that a very large number of comments were received and each had to be individually addressed. The other reason is that many regulations in this rule (small "r" by the way) need to mesh with rules from many other agencies. At least some of these agencies (he use the OMB as an example) are required to respond within a set period of time from when they receive the draft. Then, every change that each agency asks for has to make the rounds of all the other agencies until a final version is approved by them all. Agent Moses is not allowed to say (and probably doesn't know) where the rule has made it to in this process. Until it is final, the DEA can't comment on any aspect of the rule. Once the rule is published, his office will have time to coordinate a press release/outreach plan with the Office of Diversion Control.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The bottom line is the DEA may, or may not, publish the final rule on schedule this coming month. </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Going to the "front door" of the DEA has not gotten the answers we seek. Writing now, in retrospect, when the rumor was mentioned, I should have enquired where they heard it and offered to help trace it back to it's source. It could be based on real information or could easily have arisen from a misunderstood conversation. </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">If someone tells you they heard publication is delayed (or on-time), please see if you can track it down. Maybe it will led to someone who says that <U>they</U> spoke to an official, in a position to know, who couldn't comment on the record. That is the sort of rumor I'd like to hear about! </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Ed</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The new DEA rules are due to be published sometime next month.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Considering the amount of free media coverage CVS is getting for announcing they will no longer sell cigarettes, I am hopeful that at least some pharmacy chains will jump on this opportunity to stand out by doing something that is good for public health and the environment.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">I called the DEA office of Public Affairs to find out what they are planning on doing when the new rules are published.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Special Agent Joseph Moses told me that:</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Every registrant approved to sell controlled substances will be notified of the new rules.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Either the DEA Office of Diversion Control or the Public Affairs office will issue a press release.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Some pharmacies have expressed interest in collecting medications under the new, anticipated, rules.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Until they are published he can’t comment on the content of the rules.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">He doesn't know when they will be published.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The April collection event may (or may not) be the last one they organize.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">He will look into my question of how the DEA is planning get the word out and get back to me next week.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He seemed to agree that a change in the legality of trashing and flushing unwanted medications is significant and a public ad campaign would be appropriate.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Decisions about things like this are not his to make.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">I should pursue my ideas for a local public education effort.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Are any of you considering a public education campaign to announce the change in the law (once it is official) and promote your safe disposal options?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Should we consider pooling resources to produce quality outreach materials (print ad, flier/poster, radio and T.V. spots, and …?) to which local disposal information can be added? And/or should we be encouraging the DEA to do this?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The group I work with, the Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal, met today and discussed outreach ideas.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 21pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Issue a press release about the new rules.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Ask the Sheriff or a police chief to record a 30 second radio PSA (free.)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We can help with the script.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Have this law enforcement leader pose with handcuffs raised behind someone pouring pills in a toilet for a poster/print ad; important that this is done with humor!</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Enlist the help of a local high-school or college media lab to produce a PSA for public access cable TV.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Again, the Sheriff or Chief could be featured.<U style="text-underline: double"><o:p></o:p></U></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3><SPAN style="mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol">W</SPAN>hen it is time for the DEA spring take-back event, use the news radio air-time we always get to talk about the new rules and local disposal options.</FONT></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 57pt; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><FONT size=3>·</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol"> </SPAN><FONT size=3>Send a letter to all the local pharmacies, with copies to their corporate headquarters, asking if they plan on participating in a drop-box program and offering to help publicize it if they do.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT size=3>·</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Ask local municipalities to mention the new rules and promote our drop-boxes on their websites, bulletin boards, news-letters, etc.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .75in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore"><FONT size=3>·</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">We decided to not organize a large, drive-thru collection event in April.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Instead, we will focus our energy on promoting local drop-boxes, both our own and any that open in pharmacies.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 39pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">We would be happy to consider any additional outreach ideas you would like to contribute.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thanks!</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Regards,</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Ed Gottlieb<BR>Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal <BR>Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator <BR>Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility<BR></FONT><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">525 3rd Street</st1:Street><BR><st1:City w:st="on">Ithaca</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">NY</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">14850</st1:PostalCode></st1:address><BR>(607) 273-8381<BR>fax: (607) 273-8433</FONT></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>