A legislative no-brainer: allow drugstores to dispose of unused medications.

Drugstores are a convenient new option for discarding unwanted pills.

April 11, 2016 at 4:36PM
FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo, shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt. Prescription painkillers should not be a first-choice for treating common ailments like back pain and arthritis, according to new federal guidelines designed to reshape how doctors prescribe drugs like OxyContin and Vicodin. Amid an epidemic of addiction and abuse tied to these powerful opioids drugs, the CDC is urging general doctors to try physical therapy, exercise and over-the-c
Under a bipartisan proposal before the Legislature, consumers would be able to bring prescription painkillers such as OxyContin to pharmacies for disposal. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

People go to the pharmacy far more often — hopefully — than they do the police station. So it makes sense to add neighborhood drugstores to the list of places Minnesotans can drop off unused prescription medications, the proper disposal of which is an increasing public health imperative.

There are more than 150 places across the state that currently accept unused medications. Mainly these are law enforcement facilities. Going there typically requires a special trip.

In contrast, household errands often involve a stop at the pharmacy, making these retailers a more convenient option to get rid of expired or unused pills.

But allowing pharmacies to voluntarily accept drugs requires a change in a dated state law — one that reflects an era before federal officials expanded pill disposal options. Thanks to the efforts of a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the Minnesota Legislature has an opportunity to make this no-brainer of a change. While the legislation admirably progressed through the Minnesota Senate in 2015, it did not clear committee deadlines in the House.

Legislative champions include state Sens. Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, and Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Center. Efforts on the House side are led by Rep. Bob Barrett, R-Lindstrom. The bill is a Minnesota Board of Pharmacy legislative initiative and also has the support of well-known law enforcement authorities, such as Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

"The hope is by giving people a lot of convenient options for disposing of unwanted pharmaceuticals, there will ultimately be fewer drugs available to be abused,'' said Cody Wiberg, the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy's executive director. "In addition, pharmacies will be allowed to place pharmaceutical waste collection receptacles in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes — which is something that law enforcement is not able to do.''

As Wiberg points out, the legislation is especially timely as concerns mount about prescription drug abuse, particularly of a powerful class of painkillers known as opioids. Prescriptions for these pain pills have soared, from 174 million a year in 2000 to 257 million. With that has come a mounting toll: more than 28,000 deaths a year linked to overdoses of these painkillers or heroin, a street drug that many opioid abusers eventually switch to for the similar high and cheaper cost.

Getting rid of unused painkillers in household medicine cabinets is a sensible way to reduce access to these drugs and fight this epidemic. There are benefits to getting rid of other types of prescription drugs, too. Doses that are beneficial in adults could easily be harmful in children, something medical professionals see far too often when prescription medications are unsecured.

Proper drug disposal also brings environmental benefits, as it typically involves incineration vs. flushing pills down the toilet, which can lead to these drugs getting into waterways and drinking water supplies.

Forty states already allow pharmacies to dispose of drugs. Minnesota shouldn't be a laggard. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., was a key champion of the federal changes expanding disposal options. Lawmakers should build on this good work and enact this sensible change.

about the writer

about the writer

Editorial Board

See More