San Rafael, CA – For the first time, a wide range of experts in Marin County are collaborating to tackle what’s described as an epidemic: prescription drug misuse.
RxSafe Marin is a grassroots community initiative to address the problem, fueled by the fact that drug overdose deaths and treatment admissions for prescription drug addiction continue to escalate in Marin County. One of four Marin adults needs help for substance abuse, alcohol abuse or mental health problems. More alarming is that an increasing number of children under 18 are in need of care for the same issues. In 2012, more people died in Marin from drug overdoses than of breast cancer or automobile crashes, and most of those overdoses involved prescription drugs.
Building on the work of community activists, the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Marin County District Attorney’s Office, the Marin County Public Defender’s Office, Marin County Office of Education each have officials co-leading the RxSafe Marin initiative alongside families, youth, pharmacists and health providers.
“This issue touches so many in Marin, beyond those with personal or family experience,” Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said. “We feel that RxSafe Marin is breaking new ground by bringing together key voices from across the community – law enforcement, schools, community groups and medical personnel – to design some real solutions.”
At a June 19 meeting in San Rafael, participants brainstormed in separate action teams to address different aspects of the epidemic before convening to formulate plans for progress. The teams were: law enforcement; data collection and monitoring; community-based prevention; prescribers and pharmacists; intervention, treatment and recovery.
Among the top recommendations coming out of the conference were:
- Reduce narcotic prescriptions by 15 percent by 2015 by
- establishing common prescribing standards
- Protect the rights of those with pain to receive appropriate treatment
- Enhanced education for communities in safe storage and disposal of prescription medications
- Increased communication between law enforcement and prescribers
- Provide more drug diversion programs by 2016
- Create a cultural norm, through education and media exposure, wherein prescription drug misuse is culturally unacceptable
- Develop a community-wide report card of key statistics to track progress
- Invite others to join the RxSafe Marin initiative
Some specific RxSafe Marin goals include:
- Working with pharmacists so that lock boxes and safety information are available in every pharmacy
- Implement a countywide campaign to promote safe prescription drug use, storage and disposal
- Establishing permanent and accessible drug take-back/disposal sites in Marin
- Adoption of community standards for prescribing narcotics in Marin Emergency Departments and Primary Care settings
- Increase communication between patients, doctors and pharmacists about drug misuse
“Prescription drug abuse is a complex problem that impacts the whole community,” said Larry Meredith, Ph.D., Director of the County HHS. “We are really fortunate to have such strong partners interested in working together to address this problem. We all share the same goal of reducing the harm of prescription drug abuse — and saving lives.”
RxSafe Marin offers a range of experts to speak about the issue. For more information, contact Erin Cochran at ecochran@marincounty.org or 415-473-2624.