One unrecognized source of the opioid crisis
The opioid crisis, and all the heartbreaking stories of loss and addiction over the past several years, isn’t just about the drugs used. It’s also about the ones that aren’t.
While many measures have been taken to address over-prescription and misuse, my research with fellow surgeons shines a light on an oftenoverlooked aspect of the epidemic: the problem of safely disposing of unused opioids post-surgery.
Staggering percentage
Some might see the leftover drugs as a testament to the effectiveness of modern pain management techniques. But it also underlines the fact that we have a massive surplus of potent drugs ripe for potential misuse or diversion.
A staggering 94% of patients had leftover opioids post-surgery. 68% of these patients claimed to dispose of their surplus medication — but the methods and locations of disposal varied greatly.
This brings us to a crucial revelation: most patients prefer to dispose of their opioids at local pharmacies. This indicates a level of trust and convenience associated with these establishments.
However, are pharmacies effectively equipped or incentivized to handle this disposal? If patients’ preferences are leaning this way, it’s an avenue that needs to be explored further and integrated into the wider strategy to combat opioid misuse.
But it’s not just about disposal. Alarmingly, 86% of patients stored their opioids in unlocked locations. This casual storage approach can turn homes into inadvertent hubs for drug diversion, especially given that these powerful medications are often kept in easily accessible places like bathrooms and kitchens. This statistic should be particularly unsettling for anyone with teenagers or frequent guests.
A source of misuse
The study found that the diversion of unused prescription opioids after surgeries is a common source of opioid sensitization and misuse. It also found that individual patient’s attitudes may be driving their ways of disposing of extra opioids to a greater degree than their lack of education on safe opioid use.
Gender disparities revealed by the study hint at deeper societal perceptions surrounding drug misuse. Females were, more than males, proactive in disposing of unused opioids and saw opioid misuse as a pressing societal issue.
That raises the question: Are our awareness campaigns resonating differently with different genders? If so, the fight against opioid misuse may need gender-specific interventions.
We must also reconsider our approach to post-surgery patient education. While efforts have been made to reduce over-prescribing pre-operatively, there needs to be more education on the importance of secure storage and proper disposal post-operatively.
Our study points to the need to address a problem not recognized well enough, one that contributes to our opioid crisis. While the larger battle against opioid misuse rages on, let’s not overlook the simple steps that can be taken to prevent these powerful drugs from becoming a public health hazard.
It’s time to ensure that our efforts to help patients recovering from surgery deal with their deal don’t inadvertently fuel the crisis we’re trying so desperately to quell.
Disposal in Allegheny County
The Drug Enforcement Administration is sponsoring a national Prescription Drug Take Back Day two Saturdays from now, on October 28. It will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
On the last take back day, held in April, Pennsylvania’s 259 collection sites collected 29,212 pounds of opioids, almost 15 tons. The state has collected a total of 751,010 pounds in the 24 days.
In Allegheny County, many police stations are collection sites and the police in some places are collecting opioids at pharmacies, businesses, and borough buildings. Collection sites can be found at https://apps.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/NTBI/ntbi-pub.pub..