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Bonamici introduces bill to ease safe disposal of unwanted painkillers

April 23, 2018

During six months of community discussions about the opioid crisis, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici heard a recurring theme — the lack of options for someone to safely dispose of excess prescription pain pills after a surgery or illness.

Less than 5 percent of pharmacies, hospitals and other eligible sites in Oregon participate in drug disposal program, according to Bonamici, citing a Government Accountability Office study. Unused pills can be diverted to other family members or friends and misued.

The Beaverton Democrat introduced The Safe Disposal of Opioids Act, which creates a grant program to help pharmacies install and maintain drug disposal bins.

The bill would assess a small fee on opioid manufacturers to fund grants for about 10,000 disposal sites around the country. Disposal kiosks should also be accompanied by public education about the dangers of keeping unused medication, Bonamici said.

"It should be as easy to get rid of them as it is to get them," Bonamici said in an interview. "It kept coming up again and again, as we heard stories and were trying to identify where the gaps are. We recognize the need for more treatment, better prevention and more alternatives, but there were already pending bills on a lot of those issues."

Some hospitals and pharmacies already provide places to dispose of unwanted pills, but not enough, Bonamici said. When Providence St. Vincent Medical Center provided a drug disposal box at the pharmacy, some people brought in "suitcases" of unused medications, she said. Some police stations also provide sites, but not everyone is comfortable using them.

Bonamici also released a report on Monday entitled "Fight for Our Communities: Overcoming the Opioid Crisis" in which she spells out other legislation she supports. There's the Trauma-Informed Care for Children and Families Act, which helps teachers, doctors and other adults serving children recognize and respond to signs of trauma. And there's the Hallways to Health Act, which would increase access to health care through School-based Health Clinics.

Bonamici also supports expanded chiropractic care to all VA facilities and expanding the authority of providers to administer buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment.

In Oregon, opioid prescriptions have been steadily declining, but an average of three people die each week from prescription opioid overdose.

Bonamici said the disposal issue, along with many other solutions, is not partisan.

"It's not an issue that happens just in blue states or red states. Lot of bipartisan support," she said.

Issues:Health Care