States looking to curb opioid epidemic turn to in-home disposal kits

This image shows an example of the Deterra Drug Deactivation Kits, location and date not specified | Image courtesy of Deterra, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The opioid abuse epidemic has touched every part of the United States, leading to addiction by stay-at-home moms, grandparents, honor students and hardworking Americans alike, but one state has decided to fight back, a news release from Deterra states. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that pharmacies in the state’s 12 counties hit hardest by opioid abuse will now hand out Deterra Drug Deactivation kits with prescriptions for powerful painkillers.

This image shows an example of the Deterra pouches, location and date not specified | Image courtesy of Deterra, St. George News

“Initiatives like this one from Attorney General Shapiro are exactly why the Deterra pouch was developed,” said Jason Sundby, CEO of Verde Technologies, the company that developed Deterra. “We hope that by partnering with Attorney General Shapiro and others across the country, we can be a small but important part of the solution to our country’s opioid epidemic.”

Pennsylvania is not the only state to partner with Verde Technologies to provide the Deterra Drug Deactivation kit to its citizens, a news release from Deterra states. Sheriff’s offices, pharmacies and public health offices from Virginia to Montana have also begun utilizing the environmentally friendly and easy-to-use pouches to prevent diversion of unused opioids.

Deterra pouches provide an easy, safe and effective way for people to deactivate and dispose of unused, expired or unneeded medications in their own home. Activated carbon in the Deterra pouch firmly bonds to pharmaceuticals, rendering the compounds ineffective for abuse and safe for disposal in landfills. The bag itself is environmentally friendly.

Anyone can use a Deterra pouch to deactivate over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including opioids. The process works by putting unused pills inside, adding water, waiting 30 seconds, sealing the bag and throwing it away.

The Deterra Drug Deactivation System is ideal for patients that are homebound or live in areas with few drop box locations, the company’s news release states.

“Everyone has a role to play in preventing addiction and overdose,” Sundby said. “Deterra pouches make it possible for anyone and everyone to prevent the diversion of dangerous opioids.”

Deterra is available for purchase at Walmart, Amazon.com and pharmacies across the country. Bulk purchases can be made on the Deterra website.

About Deterra and Verde Technologies

Minneapolis-based Verde Technologies is a privately-owned company working to develop research-based, scientifically proven solutions to reduce drug abuse, misuse and negative environmental impact, its news release states. The Deterra Drug Deactivation System is powered by patented MAT12 Molecular Adsorption Technology, which deactivates prescription drugs using proprietary activated carbon. The technology is effective in adsorbing and firmly binding pharmaceuticals, rendering them inactive and ineffective for misuse and safe for the environment. Learn more on Deterra’s website.

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Twitter: @STGnews

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5 Comments

  • Brian August 5, 2017 at 11:17 am

    The opioid epidemic has largely been created by government intervention (medicaid recipients are 6 times more likely to OD on opioids than non-medicaid recipients), so naturally the solution is MORE government intervention.

    That being said, these bags look like the best way around to dispose of drugs (FAR better than flushing them down the toilet, where they end up in the culinary and ground water in alarming amounts). But these will be barely be effective in the scheme of things, and at huge expense to tax payers and huge profits for a handful of people.

  • comments August 5, 2017 at 12:49 pm

    yep, nice advertisement. contrary to what this company would have u believe, charcoal is not a new thing.

  • comments August 5, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    just looked it up. Kinda expensive for what u get–a cheap foil pouch with some charcoal in the bottom? silly silly

  • yikes August 5, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    silly me. at first I thought this was a story about a product that can counter effect an opioid overdose. What a great idea I thought. alas no. no opioid addict is going to use this product. don’t buy stock from this one.

    • ladybugavenger August 6, 2017 at 10:45 am

      I thought the same thing

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