Operation Medicine Cabinet Montana

NEWS RELEASE
ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE BULLOCK
STATE OF MONTANA

FOR RELEASE: May 10, 2010
CONTACT: Kari Sproull, 258-4297

Missoula teams up with Attorney General Steve Bullock
for Operation Medicine Cabinet Montana

Missoula – Leftover and unwanted medications sitting in your medicine cabinet put communities at risk for diversion, prescription drug abuse, and unintentional poisoning. A coalition of groups in Missoula, including [Missoula City-County Health Dept., Clark Fork Coalition, CMC, St. Pats, Home Instead, Missoula Police Dept., Missoula Sheriffs Department, UM Pharmacy School, Cost Care, etc], are providing members of the community with the opportunity to dispose of unused medications on Saturday, June 5. Operation Medicine Cabinet Montana, held in multiple communities across the state, is part of Attorney General Steve Bullock’s effort to reduce prescription drug abuse in Montana.

Montana ranks third in the nation for teen abuse of prescription pain relievers – nearly 10 percent of teens admit to abusing these drugs in the past year, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Partnership for a Drug Free America reports that the majority of teens agree that prescription drugs are easier to get than other illicit drugs, including 63 percent who believe that prescription drugs are easy to get from their parents’ medicine cabinet. Additionally, 70 percent of those who use prescription meds for non-medical purposes obtain those drugs from a friend or family member.

“With prescription drug abuse on the rise in our state, it is important to closely monitor medications in our homes and get rid of those drugs we no longer have a use for,” said Attorney General Steve Bullock. “By limiting easy access to drugs that are potentially dangerous when misused, we reduce the risk of suicide, accidental poisonings, illegal diversion and abuse in our community.”

What: Residents may bring expired or unwanted medications to be disposed of. Participants are encouraged to remove or blackout any personal information on the containers. Drop-offs are confidential and free of charge. The following items cannot be accepted: sharps/needles, chemo/radioactive drugs, or other, non-pharmaceutical waste.
Where: Missoula City Fire Stations
· 625 E. Pine St
· 247 Mount Ave
· 1501 39th St
· 3011 Latimor St
· 6501 Lower Miller Creek
When: 9am-2pm

A map of all the events across the state can be found at www.doj.mt.gov/rxabuse.

Montana Quit Line--Help the Montana Pharmacy Association Persuade the MT Quit Line to Allow Prescriptions to be Filled at Local Pharmacies

At the request of MPA members, representatives of the MPA board and staff have attempted to persuade administrators of the Montana Quit Line to allow patients the option to fill Chantix prescriptions at their local pharmacy instead of requiring the use of a mail order pharmacy. We have voiced our request through letters, phones calls, e-mails and requested a sit-down meeting with key administrators of Montana Quit Line. In each case they rebuked our requests for a change and as a result we are pursuing a new course of action.

Action Suggested:
Since the MT Quit Line will not listen to pharmacists, perhaps they will listen to your patients. Have interested patients send a letter to the Director of the DPHHS that oversees the Montana Quit Line PLUS send a copy of the letter to your local legislator.Attached is a sample letter and testimonial from one patient.

Send letters to:
Anna Whiting Sorrell, Director, DPHHS, Attn: MT Quit Line, 111 North Sanders, Room 301, Helena, MT 59620

Legislators - Click here for map showing legislators and their addresses: http://nris.mt.gov/gis/legislat/2009/
Click here for a sample letter to your legislator

Key reasons MPA Supports Changes for the Montana Quit Line:
The current mail order system sends the message that money is far more important than helping patients quit smoking.
Chantix is a medication with potential side effects and drug interactions that merit prescription counseling and an accurate medication list.

Patients who want to utilize Chantix to quit using tobacco products would benefit from face-to-face smoking cessation counseling and reinforcement that their local pharmacist can provide.
Have your patients take action today by contacting the Montana Quit Line and letting their local legislators know that we need a change in policy to allow local pharmacies to fill Chantix prescriptions!