Ohio county to distribute bags that deactivate drugs

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio county is distributing bags that deactivate prescription drugs as part of the fight against the state's opioid epidemic.

The Franklin County effort is an alternative to flushing pills or mixing them in coffee grounds or cat litter.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that Franklin County's Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health board is spending $20,000 to buy 5,000 bags.

The Franklin County and Columbus public health departments will distribute the bags during training sessions on using naloxone, a drug used to revive overdose victims.

The bags can neutralize up to 45 pills, six patches or six ounces of liquid.

A record 4,050 Ohioans died of drug overdoses in 2016, a number expected to rise sharply once 2017 figures are complete.

Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com