The program, which will begin in October, is designed to cover common opioids, stimulants and depressants, which are often abused, resold or otherwise misused at rates that only continue to rise with time. It replaces regulations dictated by the Controlled Substances Act, which restricted drug disposal to patients themselves or law enforcement, according to a report from The New York Times.
At this time, it is unclear who will shoulder the cost of drug disposal, be it communities, pharmacies, insurers, patients or pharmaceutical companies, as this is not addressed in the law. Questions regarding securing medication receptacles at pharmacies also remain, though convincing patients that keeping unused medication is irresponsible may be a more difficult problem to solve, according to the report.
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