When workers who have been injured on the job go to pharmacies to fill prescriptions for opioid painkillers, they will soon be getting something else with it.
Starting November 1, pharmacies statewide will give injured workers a drug disposal bag with their opioid prescriptions. Gov. Mike DeWine said these special bags have chemicals that break down unused drugs for disposal.
“This effort will help insure that any extra prescriptions do not end up in the wrong hands," DeWine said. "They don’t end up in the hands of children or in some way be diverted.”
Each biodegradable bag costs around $10.50 but Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) patients get them for free. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that nearly a third of first-time drug users over age 12 began by using a prescription drug for non-medical purposes.
