Call it reverse alchemy: Instead of turning objects into precious gold, a new substance is changing pills and capsules into useless goop. Walmart has partnered with DisposeRx, Inc., to help fight prescription drug abuse and misuse. To do so, the retail giant is giving away a pill-busting powder at its in-store pharmacies.
What a wonderful gift is rightly used medicine! But remember that ultimately God is the Great Physician—of both soul and body. It is God alone “who forgives . . . iniquity, who heals . . . diseases.” (Psalm 103:3)
Opioids are extremely strong painkillers. They are making news for all the wrong reasons. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Americans—about four million of them—are addicted to opioids. Many opioids are available legally by prescription. Research shows that surgery patients often end up with leftover prescription painkillers. Some people keep those dangerous unused drugs in their medicine cabinets—where children or visitors could find them. Some are even sold illegally or stolen from friends or relatives.
Opioids are good at reducing pain when prescribed appropriately by a doctor. But opioids can have grim side effects. They can cause nausea, bloating, and liver and brain damage. Opioids can also make users feel happy and healthy, even when they’re not. Users can quickly come to depend on that feeling. Sometimes, they keeping taking it long after they are well. That is not healthy or safe to do.
Experts say more than 90 Americans a day die from taking too many opioids. Drug abuse and misuse also hurts the country’s social and economic welfare. Government estimates say the opioid problem costs the United States $78.5 billion per year. Costs include healthcare treatments, lost output from workers, and intervention by police and the justice system.
DisposeRx is an at-home disposal solution that works on pills, tablets, capsules, and liquids. It uses non-poisonous chemicals to make drugs useless. Consumers simply add warm water and the powder to a partly full medicine vial and shake. A thick gel forms. The medicine is trapped and unusable. After that, the vial is safe to toss into the trash.
Painkiller maker Mallinckrodt PLC has a similar drug-destroying program. The company has already donated over 1.5 million drug disposal pouches across the country. Walmart and Sam’s Club will offer packets of DisposeRx for free at any of its 4,700 U.S. pharmacies. Then people can get rid of drugs safely.
