Push to return unused opioids

THE Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is conducting a campaign to urge consumers to return their unused opioids to their local pharmacy for safe disposal.

Resources to support those who wish to do so, and rationale to use to encourage others, are provided.

The resources focus on four messages highlighting the dangers of unattended opioid in the house: Don’t keep your strong pain medicines ‘just in case’; Curiosity can kill; Opioids cause over 100 hospitalisations every day; Two-thirds of drugrelated deaths involve opioids.

Each have videos, Facebook and Twitter links to help social media savvy supporters spread the messages with the hashtags #RemoveTheRisk and #ReturnYourOpioids.

Pharmacists are urged to be prepared by ensuring they have space in their RUM (Return of Unwanted Medicines) containers.