CEH Strategies Blog
New & Notable Developments
What About Medicine Disposal Products? Effective? Safe? Worth the Price?
New products in pouches and bottles are being marketed to consumers with claims that they provide a easy way to "denature" drugs and make them safe to toss in the household trash. Some companies have formed partnerships with elected officials to distribute free...
Local Pharmaceutical Stewardship Laws Achieve Their Promise
When counties in California and Washington state, like Alameda and King, began enacting pharmaceutical stewardship policies several years ago it was out of the compelling need to provide more medicine take-back services to their residents. Now in 2017, the robust and...
The Inequalities of Air Pollution
People in Seattle and the Northwest experienced weeks of truly awful air quality due to wildfires this summer. For many of us it was an ominous predictor of more to come with climate change - hotter summers and more wildfires. The smoke added to the air pollution we...
WA Secure Drug Take-Back Act Advances Against Pharmaceutical Industry Opposition
The Washington State Legislature has an opportunity to act on a public safety bill that helps address the epidemic of opioid and medicine abuse and overdose deaths in our communities by creating a statewide medicine take-back program. The WA Secure Drug Take-back...
Kitsap and Pierce Counties Take Action on Secure Medicine Return
Two more local Boards of Health in WA state took action last week to provide their communities with more secure and environmentally sound disposal systems for leftover prescription and over-the-counter medications. On Dec. 6th, the Kitsap County Public Health board...
Long-Awaited EPA Actions on Toxic Chemicals Possible Under TSCA Reform
In the face of an uncertain regulatory climate in the near future, the EPA is starting a process under the new Lautenberg Chemical Safety Law to protect people and our environment from exposures to toxic chemicals. It's great to see these first stepes after so many...
No Vaping in Public Policy Adopted in Whatcom County
Whatcom County has joined a growing number of areas in Washington State that prohibit use of e-cigarettes - or vaping - in public places, similarly to our statewide no smoking in public places law. The Whatcom County Council unanimously approved a new Smoking &...
Why Secure Medicine Disposal? What’s Pharmaceutical Stewardship? my recent presentation
Last week in Salem Oregon, the state Legislature was holding work sessions on key policy issues. I was pleased to be invited by the Association of Oregon Counties to speak to the House Health Care Committee about secure drug take-back and pharmaceutical stewardship....
Counties Leading the Way on Secure Medicine Take-back Policies
Pharmaceutical stewardship ordinances to create convenient and secure medicine return systems have now been passed in nine counties: 2 in Washington State and 7 in California. While such laws are common in other countries, including Canada, Mexico, France, and...
Snohomish County WA’s Medicine Take-back Law is 8th in Nation
Snohomish County WA, like too many communities across the country, is battling a devastating heroin epidemic that is fueled by prescription drug abuse. As a key part of local prevention efforts, the Snohomish Sheriff's Office and local police chiefs have been hosting...