Three Hernando County high schools, Springstead, Nature Coast Technical Institute, and Hernando High School, have partnered with the Hernando Community Coalition (HCC) and DisposeRx to create a Pilot Medication Disposal Education Program. The Pilot Medication Disposal Education Program is a program created to educate students, parents, and the community about the importance of prompt and proper medication disposal.
The HCC is a countywide behavioral health partnership working to prevent and reduce substance use and associated problems among youth and families in Hernando County, Florida. DisposeRx is a company dedicated to decreasing the risks of drug diversion, overdoses, suicides, accidental poisonings, and antibiotic resistance by changing medication safety behaviors to eradicate the misuse of leftover medications.
Speaking about the Pilot Medication Disposal Education Program, the athletic director at Springstead High School, Dustin Kupcik, explained, “As some may know, student-athletes and athletes, in general, are some of the most likely candidates to fall under some of these circumstances with these opioids because of the injury statistics. Roughly one-third of athletes are going to get injured, and they may get exposed to these types of medications and drugs.”
Last month, former NFL wide receiver and spokesperson for the program, Reidel Anthony, and members from the HCC came to Springstead High School to talk about the new pilot program. DisposeRx, HCC, and Springstead also filmed a video that informs parents about the dangers of opioid medication and how to safely dispose of them.
When speaking about the program, Reidel Anthony said, “We want to reach out to all the kids around the country and let them know there are ways to get rid of stuff and there are ways to not involve yourself with the things that… will hamper your athletic career.”
