Ryan Nicol
The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative of Florida (RALI Florida), an alliance aiming to help cut down on opioid addiction, is donating 50,000 in-home drug disposal kits aimed at easing the removal of unused medications.
The move comes as many families struggle amid the effects of the novel coronavirus. RALI Florida is partnering with the Community Coalition Alliance, a collection of organizations aiming to combat the opioid epidemic at the local level.
“Many of us are working diligently to ‘flatten the curve,’ but it is important to remember that there are things we can do to continue to protect our family members from the opioid crisis, even while staying at home” said Kathleen Roberts, Kathleen Roberts, Executive Director of the Community Coalition Alliance executive director.
“When it comes to the opioid epidemic, Governor [Ron] DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody have placed a high priority on prevention. This donation by RALI Florida of 50,000 safe drug disposal kits serves as a best practice of community partnerships for Florida’s Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse to continue our targeted and outcome-driven prevention efforts.”
The kits allow opioids to be destroyed and thrown away, without fear of an addicted member of the household gaining access to the discarded drugs.
“Community coalitions are on the front lines working on prevention solutions with a hyper-targeted community focus to ensure greater impact locally and statewide on behavioral change by understanding and shifting social, cultural and community environments,” Roberts added.
“This disposal pouch donation from RALI will enable our community coalitions throughout the state to provide our local communities a free way to safely dispose of medications.”
Added Captain Michael Coy of the Florida National Guard, “Now is a good time to take a look at your medicine cabinet and dispose of medications that are expired or no longer needed,” Coy, who works on Counter Drug Civil Operations in North Florida and collaborates with the Community Coalition Alliance, said.
“Too often, home medicine cabinets play a role in potential addiction. Safely disposing of unused, unwanted or expired medications can help prevent a child, loved one or friend from misusing medicines that were not prescribed to them.”
