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SALT LAKE CITY — The Drug Enforcement Administration says more than 388 million lethal doses of fentanyl were seized in the U.S. in 2023.
That begs the question: What will happen to all these drugs?
The drugs are disposed of, and NarcX, a Utah-based company, offers a safe and immediate drug disposal option.
David Schiller has 30 years of experience with the Drug Enforcement Administration and is well versed in the opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis. Schiller said statistics show that about 300 people die from opioid overdoses every day in the United States.
These opioids are sourced illegally not only from medical cabinets but also from drug dealers and other countries.
While drugs like Narcan can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, Schiller said many illicit drugs are so powerful that their effects are more than Narcan alone can handle. Ta.
Drug take-back programs allow people to remove unused or unwanted drugs from their medicine cabinets and dispose of them in a safe disposal location. While the take-back program has been a huge success, Schiller said there are weaknesses.
“I have to stock up on six months worth of medication in my house at a time,” he said. “While it’s being stockpiled with good intentions, it’s being diverted. People are getting addicted and dying.”
That’s where NarcX comes into play. NarcX is a liquid solution that instantly neutralizes drugs.
If ingested, the liquid can make people sick.
This method allows drugs, including fentanyl, to be destroyed on-site in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, helping to prevent overdoses by keeping drugs off the streets.
It started in Riverton, Payson, Provo, and soon in American Fork.
“I always had mothers and fathers and young people say, ‘We took this drug. We know the side effects, but we don’t know what to do. We’re doing the right thing. We want to do that,” Schiller added.
“So this is a legacy. This is a game changer,” Schiller said.