National Prescription Drug Take Back Day (October 29th, 2022)

(Updated September 1, 2022)

Opioid misuse across the nation has certainly been in the news lately. But did you know approximately 38,600 Montanans aged 12 years and older misused opioid medications between the 2018-2019 year, and in 2019 Montana hospitals charged $1.4 million for opioid related hospitalization and emergency department visits? This is [agent name], your Montana State University Extension Agent, with an Extension update. 

As a rural Montanan, what can we do about this national crisis, this Montana crisis? The first step is to keep prescription drugs locked and out of the reach of children. Medications should both be out of reach AND out of sight. From 2017 to 2019, 374 Montanans died from a drug overdose. 105 of these drug overdose deaths (28%) were due to opioids. Accidental poisoning from all prescriptions is a significant health hazard. Securely storing medications is as important as securely storing the gun in your home! 

Another crucial step in keeping you and your loved ones safe is to properly dispose of any unwanted or unused prescriptions. This Saturday, Oct 29th, is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Take Back Prescription Drug event. Simply drop any unwanted prescriptions at a permanent prescription drop off location in your community. 

In [county], the prescription drop box is in [add location or locations for all towns in your county].  

Most people who misuse prescription drugs say they get their drugs free from friends and family, including from the home medicine cabinet. Safely storing prescriptions in a locked location and using the Take Back Day is a wonderful opportunity for Americans to protect their homes and medicine cabinets from theft, misuse, and accidental poisoning. For more information on opioid and stimulant use and misuse, please contact your local Extension Office [phone number here]. 

 For MSU Extension and KYUS/KMTA radio, I am [insert agent name].  

 

Spike in Overdose Deaths Due to Fentanyl 

(updated April 2022)

Drug overdose deaths across the nation have certainly been in the news lately. But, did you know that just last year, more Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, involving mostly opioids, than to car crashes and gun violence combined? This was due to Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills laced with fentanyl and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription opioids pills such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®). The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) lab testing reveals that 4 out of every 10 pills with fentanyl have a potentially lethal dose. This is [insert agent name] your Montana State University Extension Agent, with an Extension update, reminding all Montanans that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. 

 

As a rural Montanan, what can we do about this national crisis, this Montana crisis? Do not wait, talk to your community leaders, your neighbors, your co-workers, and your kids about counterfeit pills.The first step is to raise awareness about opioid misuse. In the 2021 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, it was found that over one in ten high school students reported taking a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription. Talk to the youth in your communities who, as adolescents, may be vulnerable to risk-taking behavior like substance use.  For more information on opioid and stimulant misuse, please contact your local Extension Office [phone number here]  

For MSU Extension and KYUS/KMTA radio, I am [insert agent name].