Miller-Meeks & Trone Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Safely Dispose of Opioids

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, April 8, 2021, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) and David Trone (MD-06) introduced the Dispose Unused Medications and Prescription (DUMP) Opioids Act. This bipartisan legislation would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that certain medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have physical locations for the disposal of controlled substances medications.

In January 2021, H.R. 7105, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, was signed into law. Under this law, which takes effect on January 1, 2022, the VA is required to set up prescription drop boxes on VA campuses so that patients can safely dispose of unused and excess controlled substances medications. The DUMP OpioidsAct would expand this law so that anyone, not just patients, can dispose of controlled substances medications at VA centers.

“As a doctor, I have seen firsthand the challenges created by opioid addiction and abuse. The opioid epidemic has hit every corner of the United States, and all of us know someone who has been harmed by addiction,” said Miller-Meeks. “The DUMP Opioids Act is a simple expansion of current law that will give more Americans access to safe opioid disposal sites. Congress must work in a bipartisan manner and give our constituents the tools they need to tackle this head-on.”

“After losing a record number of Americans to overdoses over the last year, we need to be more focused than ever on efforts to both treat and prevent addiction," said Trone. "By providing disposal sites for controlled substances, we are promoting safer practices to help prevent substance use disorder and overdoses.”

In March 2021, Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

For the full text of the DUMP Opioids Act, click here.

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