The reality is, in 2015 more than 100 Hennepin County residents died from opiates — a class of drug that includes heroin and prescription drugs.

The reality is, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem.

The reality is, we need more help.

As sheriff of Hennepin County and president of the Minnesota Sheriff's Association, I do not make the laws. But believe me, when it comes to public safety issues I want a seat at the table. That's why I have put my support behind SF1425/HF1503, a lifesaving bill that would allow pharmacies in Minnesota to voluntarily take back and destroy unwanted prescription medicines including painkillers.

If abused, opiate-based prescription painkillers become gateway drugs. When the pill supply runs out at home, the addicted person will buy heroin, which is cheaper to buy on the street than the illicit OxyContin pill and far more deadly.

The Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with Hennepin County Environment and Energy, supports nine medicine disposal boxes throughout the county. Since the program's 2012 inception, we've destroyed more than 25 tons of prescription drugs — the weight of five ambulances. We have had great success and want to expand on that by working with our private-sector partners.

That's exactly what the Pharmacy Take-Back bill proposes. Law enforcement administers roughly 150 take-back boxes statewide. If the law changes, those same dropboxes could be available at participating pharmacies. Think of it as a "one-stop shop-and-drop" — you stop to fill your new prescription and in the same trip drop off unused medicines brought from home.

The reality is, 40 states have already changed their laws to allow voluntary private pharmacy take-back programs.

The reality is, preventing pill abuse can save lives.

The reality is, 2016 has to be the year a public-private partnership between law enforcement and pharmacies is made law.

How many more ambulances are needed before we face the reality?

Rich Stanek is the Hennepin County sheriff.