“One pill can kill” – a drug eradication program for Wyoming County

TUNKHANNOCK, Pennsylvania – Money from an opioid case settlement will be used in Wyoming County to help residents fight addiction.

“They just open it, put the pills in, fill it halfway with water, cap it, shake it and throw it away,” said District Attorney Joe Peters.

There are just six steps to join the fight against pill addiction, and soon, says District Attorney Joe Peters, every Wyoming County resident will have access to the Deterra drug deactivation system.

“Instead of asking people to bring their pills to us, we send them a package like this where they can destroy the pills at home,” Peters said.

Peters said the program aims to help residents get rid of excess or expired prescriptions, with the goal of reducing the number of medications lying around homes in Wyoming County.

“Prevent this type of dependency from developing. Never let patients become addicted just because they haven't taken a pill yet. Remove the temptation of a pill from the medicine cabinet. Anyone can participate in it,” Peters said.

The new drug disposal bags were presented to residents at the Wyoming County Senior Expo at Triton Hose Company. Emily Hoffman of Tunkhannock received her bag in the mail.

“Oh, I think they should use them if they have to,” Hoffman said. “They should use them, use them to their advantage.”

Recovery and rehabilitation program workers in the region say this is an important step in the fight against addiction.

“If we provide something like this to people in our area, they have the option to not just leave something like this lying around at home,” said Angelia Petrillo of Pathway To Recovery.

“Many of our clients that I personally deal with are placed in nursing homes,” said Bailey Eyet of the Trehab Community Resource Center. “This will help get this out of the home. Then they'll be less likely to relapse. That would be beneficial for them as well.”

District Attorney Peters told us that the county's money from the opioid settlements will be used to purchase the bags.

More than 8,000 residents have received them so far, and the rest will be sent out over the next few weeks.