October 10, 2018 - Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) Indiana is providing a new tool in the effort to fight the opioid crisis in Allen County. Today, RALI Indiana announced the donation of 15,000 safe drug disposal kits to various groups and coalitions in northeast Indiana that will allow Hoosiers to easily and safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription medication. Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry hosted the RALI Indiana announcement at Citizens Square.
“Safe drug disposal could keep someone prone to addiction from ever trying an opioid,” said Mayor Henry. “Safe disposal could save lives and thanks to these resources and education, we are another step closer to controlling this epidemic.”
Launched in July, RALI is a diverse coalition of business and community leaders, patient organizations and other health care stakeholders dedicated to finding and supporting solutions to end the opioid crisis. RALI Indiana has partnered with the Drug and Alcohol Consortium of Allen County (DACAC) to address opioid misuse in the region and to oversee the distribution of safe drug disposal kits.
“No state or demographic is immune to this problem,” said MaryClare Akers, executive director of DACAC. “That is why we must do anything and everything we can to reduce the number of unwanted prescription drugs in our community and to provide resources to those struggling with addiction.”
The Drug and Alcohol Consortium of Allen County is a member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), which is part of a nationwide effort to equip local organizations with the tools needed combat the drug crisis.
“The opioid epidemic is going to take a comprehensive approach that employs multiple strategies to create population-level reductions to this problem,” said General Arthur T. Dean, Chairman & CEO of CADCA. “CADCA has always focused on primary prevention and we hope our partnership with RALI will be a model for other organizations and communities of how to not only enhance local prevention efforts, but also increase community awareness about the dangers of substance use and misuse. Together, we can build safe and healthy drug-free communities.”
Research shows that more than 60 percent of Americans prescribed opioid painkillers reported keeping leftover medication in their home medicine cabinet long after ending use. Safe drug disposal pouches will be available at DACAC’s headquarters at 532 W Jefferson Boulevard and will be distributed at community events throughout the year.
For more information about RALI Indiana, the fight against Indiana’s opioid epidemic and how to safely dispose of unwanted medication, visit www.rali-in.org.