Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 18-026 SUPPORTING THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY’S NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK EVENTS, EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP BOXES IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE AND ABUSE (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The South Bay Communities Creating Change (SBC3), a coalition of substance abuse prevention agencies located in the South Bay, has launched a new effort to promote safe disposal of prescription drugs. This effort involves community-based educational activities and awareness campaigns, encouraging cities to ensure availability and use of prescription drug drop boxes in the community, as well as supporting the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back events.
SBC3 through its member organization, the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), now requests that the Carson City Council pass a resolution expressing support to DEA and SBC3’s efforts on safe prescription drug disposal.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. WAIVE further reading and adopt Resolution No. 18-026, “ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY’S NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK EVENTS, EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE AVAILABILITY AND USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP BOXES IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG MISUSE AND ABUSE”; and
2. DIRECT staff to coordinate with the Carson Sheriff’s Station and AADAP in implementing this Resolution.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Last year, the City of Carson supported the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back events by holding its own Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 29, 2017. A collection site was established at the City Hall parking lot where residents turned in their expired prescription medication from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. The collection was conducted by the Carson Sheriff’s Station, AADAP, and members of the Carson Initiative for Substance Abuse Awareness and Prevention (CISAAP).
It is important to note that in 2014, the results of the National Survey on Drug Use found that more than 54.4 million people in the United States had misused prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. The Los Angeles County Coroner data shows that prescription opioids are involved in about 60% of all drug related deaths from 2006 to 2012 in LA County. In addition, SBC3’s Public Opinion Survey in 2016 showed that 43.66% of adolescents (ages 12-17) in the South Bay are at risk of misusing prescription drugs.
One component of a comprehensive public health approach to addressing drug abuse is the safe disposal of unused prescription drugs, including controlled substances. Medications flushed down the toilet or in drains pass through the sewer system and eventually enter our oceans and water ways. This could lead to increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics and interference with growth and reproduction in aquatic organisms. Hence, it is important to limit the disposal of waste medications in the sewer.
To provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications, the DEA holds National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in April and October of each year. In fact, the October 2017 Drug Take-Back Day events brought the DEA a record-setting 912,305 pounds- 456 tons -of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at more than 5,300 collection sites nationwide. Also noteworthy to mention is the fact that a growing number of law enforcement agencies, pharmacies, and health care facilities in the South Bay are providing permanent prescription drug drop boxes for safe disposal of controlled substances.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 18-026 (pp.3-4)
Prepared by: Riezl Locsin - Pe Benito, Field Deputy