Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-7) announced last week that his bipartisan legislation to fund prescription drug disposal across the country, the Dispose Responsibly Of Pills (DROP) Act, has passed the House toady 407-6 as part of the Comprehensive Opioid Reduction Act of 2016. The bill will move on to the Senate and then be signed into law. Congressman Bera first introduced this bill in May 2015 and has been working across the aisle with colleagues like Dr. Phil Roe (TN-1) to enact a solution to curb opioid abuse.

Research shows that more than half of nonmedical users of prescription medications got them from people they know. Safely disposing of old or unused prescription medications can curb prescription drug abuse that can lead to addiction and overdose. In the United States, prescription drug abuse impacts people of all ages, across all socioeconomic backgrounds, and in all kinds of communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people died in 2014 from drug overdoses than in any year before.

“As a doctor, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact prescription drug abuse has had on families,” said Congressman Bera. “I’m pleased that members from both sides of the aisle in the House voted to help combat prescription drug abuse and make it easier to dispose of unused prescription drugs by passing my legislation. Making safe and secure prescription disposal more available, and educating people on the importance of appropriately getting rid of unused medications are simple steps we can take to keep prescription drugs from falling into the wrong hands and prevent addiction. This solution is an easy fix to a problem that is too serious to ignore.”