San Diego County has made a notable stride in its efforts to curb the opioid crisis, with its Drug Disposal Pilot Program surpassing the distribution of 1200 drug-deactivating pouches. The county has been collaborating with healthcare professionals, including physicians, dentists, and pharmacists, to provide patients with an effective method of disposing of expired or unused prescription opioids.

As patients across Central and East Counties receive opioids for medical or dental procedures, these pouches come as a preventative measure. Individuals are instructed to place their leftover medications into the pouch, pour warm water, and shake it. The result is a safe, neutralized substance that can be disposed of in household trash. The genesis of this program was the alarming statistics that found in the year 2022, a staggering 857 people had succumbed to opioid overdoses in the county—a sharp 115% increase since 2016.

The initiative has been backed by a concrete commitment from the County’s Board of Supervisors, who launched the pilot in October 2023, backed by $500,000 from a one-time Opioid Settlement Fund. 

For those seeking further details on the workings of the Drug Disposal Pilot Program, additional information is accessible through the Medical Care Services website. According to the County News Center, this program is an ongoing effort to enhance public health and safety by addressing the opioid epidemic head-on.