Substance Use Disorder and Overdose Prevention

Preventing Substance Use Disorder

Prescription opioid drugs are often prescribed by medical professionals following surgery, injury or to manage certain health conditions. However, these drugs derived from the opium poppy are highly addictive and individuals can develop a tolerance to their effectiveness, which sometimes leads to over-use or misuse. Here are some suggestions to help reduce risks for misuse:

Talk with your medical provider about alternative treatment options
Remain in contact with your prescribing health provider to manage your treatment and alert him/her to any concerns
Never take medications in greater amounts or more often than prescribed to you. Do not share your prescription or your medication with others.
Store prescription medications in a secure place, out of reach of others.
Safely dispose of unwanted or expired medications.

Preventing Overdoses

According to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services statistics, more than 600 individuals died in St. Charles County from a drug overdose from 2016-2021. In 2020, nearly 75% of overdose deaths in the United States involved opioids, and most of these deaths specifically involved synthetic opioids such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Learn more in the 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA).

Treat Opioid Use Disorder: Find local treatment options.
Reverse overdoses to prevent death using naloxone (NARCAN).
- Naloxone is a non-addictive, lifesaving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in time.
- Naloxone is available for purchase at most pharmacies without a prescription, or can be found online.
Be aware of the potential for fentanyl contamination in any drug product, as it may increase the risk of overdose.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

In September 2016, the St. Charles County Council voted unanimously to participate in the St. Louis County Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Comprised of a collection of cities and counties across Missouri, the PDMP monitors the prescription and dispensing of schedule II-IV controlled substances to help prevent drug abuse and misuse. In June 2021, Missouri State law was signed into effect to create a statewide PDMP.

Disposing of Unwanted or Expired Medications

If you have expired or unwanted prescription or over-the-counter drugs, you can safely dispose of them through a collection kiosk in the lobby of the St. Charles County Police Department (101 Sheriff Dierker Court in O’Fallon) or at other locations in our community. For small quantities of unwanted medications, you can obtain disposal containers that may be tossed in your home garbage.