BUTTE COUNTY

OPIOID COALITION

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Preventing Overdose

Preventing Misuse

Prescription pain relievers (including narcotics, depressants and stimulants) are safe and effective when used correctly under a doctor’s supervision. Incorrect use or use for non-medical reasons can lead to misuse, addiction, overdose, and even death

Asking your doctor for alternative pain control

Opioids (such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine and morphine) are not right for everyone. They can have some very serious side effects. Ask your health care provider these 5 questions BEFORE taking opioids.

  1. Would ibuprofen work instead?
  2. Are these safe to cut in half?
  3. Are there any other options I can try?
  4. Can you prescribe only a few days’ worth?
  5. What’s the least amount I can take?

For more information click here

Not taking with alcohol or combining with other RX

“Drugs taken together can interact in ways that increase their overall effect. Many overdoses occur when people mix heroin or prescription opioids and/or alcohol with benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Valium, and Xanax. Most fatal overdoses are the result of poly-drug use.”

For more information on The Risks of Mixing Drugs click here.

Benzodiazepines

More than 30 percent of overdoses involving opioids also involve benzodiazepines, a type of prescription sedative commonly prescribed for anxiety or to help with insomnia. Benzodiazepines (sometimes called “benzos”) work to calm or sedate a person, by raising the level of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. Common benzodiazepines include diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), and clonazepam (Klonopin), among others.

For more information click here

Pain Control Options

Besides opioids, there are other pain management options.Ask prescriber if there are there non-opioid alternatives that could help with pain relief.

Safe Disposal

Butte and Glenn counties offer locations where you can drop off medications and sharps. Medication disposal can prevent accidental or intentional misuse. Safe medication disposal includes drug take back events, drug disposal kiosks, and drug disposal bags. Drug take back days are hosted on the fourth Saturday of April and October.

DEA Drug Take Back 

The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2016, revealed that the main source (53%) where pain relievers where obtained for people aged 12 or older who misused prescription pain relievers including opioids were “given by, brought from, or took from a friend or relative”.

For more information: Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines

Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know

When your medicines are no longer needed, they should be disposed of promptly. Consumers and caregivers should remove expired, unwanted, or unused medicines from their home as quickly as possible to help reduce the chance that others accidentally take or intentionally misuse the unneeded medicine, and to help reduce drugs from entering the environment. Below, we list some options and special instructions for you to consider when disposing of expired, unwanted, or unused medicines.

For more information click here

Butte and Glenn County Safe Medication Disposal locations:
  • Butte Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility
    • 1101 Marauder Street Chico | (530) 879-6900
  • Feather River Health Center Pharmacy
    • 5125 Skyway Paradise | (530) 876-2525
  • Glenn County Sherriff’s Department
    • 543 West Oak Street Willows | (530) 934-6441 821
    • East South Street Orland | (530) 934-6441
  • Oroville Police Department
    • 2055 Lincoln Blvd Oroville | (530) 538-2448
  • Walgreens Pharmacy
    • 860 East Ave Chico | (530) 899-0887
  • Orchard Hospital
    • 240 Spruce Street Gridley | (530) 846-9000
Don’t Rush to Flush

Flushing your medications should be the last resort if above options are not available.

More safe medication locations are available on this webpage. 

Sharps Disposal

Improperly disposed sharps can pose a health risk to others. Blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV can be transmitted. Sharp related injuries can put health care workers as well as waste management workers at risk for disease transmission.

For more information: Safely Using Sharps (Needles and Syringes) at Home, at Work and on Travel 

Needles for injection drug use is not the only type of sharps accepted. Other types of sharps include syringes, lancelets, auto injectors, and infusion sets.

 

 

 

Butte and Glenn County Sharp disposal locations
  • Butte Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility
    • 1101 Marauder Street Chico | (530) 879-6900
  • Feather River Health Center Pharmacy
    • 5125 Skyway Paradise | (530) 876-2525
  • Butte County Public Health Clinic
    • 655 Oleander Chico | (530) 879-3665
    • 78 Table Mountain Blvd Oroville | (530) 538-7341
  • Glenn County Public Health
    • 240 North Villa Street Willows | (530) 934-6588
    • 127 East Walker Street Orland | (530) 934-6588
  • Oroville Police Department
    • 2055 Lincoln Blvd Oroville | (530) 538-2448
  • Orchard Hospital
    • 240 Spruce Street Gridley | (530) 846-9000
  • Torres Shelter
    • 101 Silver Dollar Way Chico | (530) 891-9048
  • North Valley Land Fill
    • 2569 Scott Ave Chico | (530) 879-2397
  • Oroville Hospital *Appointment required for this location*
    • 2767 Olive Highway Oroville | (530) 533-8500
Safety at home with kids

“About 60,000 young children end up in emergency rooms each year because they got into medicines while an adult wasn’t looking. These emergency visits can be prevented by always putting every medicine up and away and out of children’s reach and sight every time you use it”

Medication Safety Tips

Protect Your Children: Store & Use Medicines Safely 

Medication Safety Basics