Nearly 130 people in the U.S. die every day from a drug overdose, and most of those involve prescription opioids or heroin. The majority of people of people who misuse prescription drugs report that they obtained the drugs from family or friends.

But this weekend you can do something about it and help protect your family and friends.

This Saturday, October 22, is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration. If you have unneeded or expired prescription drugs at home, you can drop them off at a safe, legal collection site in your neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. No questions asked. More than 6.4 million pounds of medication have been collected at past Take-Back Days.

There will more than 5,000 collection sites nationwide, and thousands of state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers will join with parents and community leaders to safely, conveniently, and responsibly dispose of expired or unwanted prescription drugs.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy has been working with Federal agencies and communities to make it easier for communities to set up permanent disposal programs locally. And following the President’s call to action last year, private organizations have taken steps to make it more convenient to safely dispose of unneeded drugs throughout the year. For example:

• Walgreens Pharmacy has installed more than 500 drug disposal kiosks at pharmacies in 35 states and Washington, D.C.
• CVS Pharmacy has donated more than 600 disposal units to law enforcement and is holding more than 125 events across the country for Take-Back Day
• The National Community Pharmacists Association is educating pharmacists on creating drug disposal programs through its “Dispose My Meds” program
• The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids released a guide on disposal to help community officials design safe drug-disposal programs
• AARP is educating its more than 37 million members on why disposal is important and how to dispose of their unneeded or expired prescription drugs

President Obama has made clear that addressing the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic is a priority for his Administration. Take-Back Day is a critical part of the Administration’s efforts to address the opioid epidemic. To fully address the crisis, however, Congress must act to provide more funding to make lifesaving treatment available to everyone who seeks it. The President has called for $1.1 billion in new funding for states to help expand access to treatment. Every day that passes without Congressional action to provide these additional resources is a missed opportunity to save lives.

While the Administration waits on Congress, Federal agencies have been using their authority to take every available action they can. The Administration has been working to expand community-based efforts to prevent drug use, expand access to effective treatment, support the millions of Americans in recovery, and pursue targeted enforcement activities.

On Saturday, you can help make your community safer by participating in Take-Back Day in your area.

Today President Obama responded to a letter from a Pennsylvania mother who wrote that access to treatment had kept her son alive and put him on the road to recovery from a heroin use disorder. Joan Newcomb of Harrisburg wrote that her 22-year-old son was able to stay on her insurance and access this lifesaving treatment because of the Affordable Care Act.

The President wrote, “I want to make sure everyone with an opioid use disorder has the same opportunity. That is why I have continued to call on Congress to provide the $1.1 billion increase in funding in my budget to help ensure that Americans who want treatment can get it… We will continue to use all of our available tools to combat this epidemic, but we need Congress to act now.”

The Obama Administration has been urging Congress to quickly pass legislation that provides much-needed funding to help provide treatment to all Americans who want it.

More and more people are joining the President's call for action. Just this past week, around 150 national, state and local organizations, including the National Governors Association, called on Congress to provide funding toward fighting this epidemic. And two-thirds of the Senate voted to call for more funding.

You can read both letters below:

Read Joan's letter to the President:

From: Joan Newcomb
Submitted: 3/1/2016 4:05 PM EST

Message: President Obama I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the Affordable Care Act. My son, a 22 year old heroin addict in recovery for one year, is alive today because of this change you fought for. I was able to keep him on my insurance despite him not attending college. During our battle of his disease of addiction over the past four years -- he was able to get into rehab over 10 times and his life was saved. He is now working 40-50 hours a week, renting an apartment with other young people in recovery, adding to the economy and paying taxes.

I will continue to express my support of this Act that had a huge personal impact on my family. I am frustrated by the continued attacks on its benefits. So many people want to end it--apparently they haven't faced a life and death situation. Heroin addiction is a real threat to our upcoming generations. It kills our children and weakens the whole family.

Your faithful supporter
Joan Newcomb

The President’s response to Joan:

President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
June 20, 2016

Ms. Joan Newcomb

Dear Joan:

Thank you for writing to share your son's story with me and to let me know how the Affordable Care Act has helped your family. I have been deeply moved by the stories of individuals and families like yours whose lives have been affected by the opioid epidemic.

It's clear how supportive your family has been of your son and I'm glad affordable health care helped him get the treatment he needs. I want to make sure everyone with an opioid use disorder has the same opportunity. That is why I have continued to call on Congress to provide the $1.1 billion to increase in funding in my budget to help ensure that Americans who want treatment can get it. This funding would expand access to treatment services and provide incentives for treatment providers to practice in the communities that need them most. These new investments would also build on the steps my Administration has taken to expand prevention programs, increase access to the overdoes-reversal drug naloxone, improve prescribing practices for pain medication, and support targeted enforcement activities. We will continue to use all of our available tools to combat this epidemic, but we need Congress to act now. We can't wait for more families or communities to needlessly suffer the tragedy of overdose when treatment could be provided if we provided the funding.

Millions of Americans like your son have been helped because they got the treatment and care they needed. Please know that I will keep fighting to ensure that Americans who want treatment can get it and start the road to recovery. I hope you will keep making your voice heard and sharing your story.

Again, thank you for writing. I will continue to keep your family in my thoughts.

Sincerely, Barack Obama

The President has made clear that addressing the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic is a priority for his Administration, and has proposed to invest $1.1 billion in new funding to make sure that every American with an opioid use disorder who seeks treatment can get the help needed.

Congress has been voting on various pieces of legislation related to the opioid epidemic, but so far has not provided the resources needed to make treatment available to everyone who wants it.

Yesterday, a majority of Senators—both Republicans and Democrats--voted in favor of developing a final bill that provides enough money for prevention, treatment, and recovery to address the opioid epidemic (You can see how Senators voted HERE).  A few members of Congress will be negotiating the final legislation in the coming days (Those “conferees” are listed HERE). But they are not bound by the Senate vote to provide funding, and they haven’t agreed on the actual amount of funding to provide.

The President has said he wants to sign legislation that includes $1.1 billion in new funding to help Americans who want treatment get it wherever they live. This map shows how much new funding for treatment each State could potentially qualify for if Congress passes what the President has requested: 

Recovery from opioid and other substance use disorders is possible, and many Americans are able to recover because they get the treatment and care they need. But too many still do not get treatment and care. That’s why the President continues to call on Congress to provide the resources to ensure that every American who wants treatment can get it and start the road to recovery. 

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Today, the House of Representatives voted on legislation highlighting the national prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. While the Obama administration welcomes these and other Congressional efforts to call attention to this public health crisis, they are not enough without the actual funding needed to prevent opioid use disorders and increase access to treatment and recovery services.

I have spoken with hundreds of parents and family members across the country who have lost loved ones to overdose. Too many of them shared similar stories about long waits for treatment or a lack of good treatment options in their communities.

That’s why the President has called on Congress to pass the $1.1 billion in new funding in his Budget to make sure that every American with an opioid use disorder who wants treatment can get the help they need.

The President's Budget would also support the placement of treatment providers in the communities most in need and would continue to develop effective treatment programs. This builds on current Administration efforts to expand evidence-based prevention strategies, increase access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, improve prescribing practices for pain medication, and support targeted enforcement activities.

Every day we lose more Americans to this devastating disease. And every day that passes without Congressional action on funding to support the treatment needs of those suffering from opioid use disorders is a missed opportunity to save lives.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The stories of loss are not the only ones I hear in my travels across the country. Millions of Americans are in recovery from opioid and other substance use disorders because they got the treatment and care they needed. That’s why we continue to call on Congress to provide the resources to ensure that every American who wants treatment can get it and start the road to recovery. 

Today the House of Representatives voted on legislation highlighting the national prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. While the Obama Administration welcomes these and other Congressional efforts to call attention to this public health crisis, they are not enough without the actual funding needed to prevent opioid use disorders and increase access to treatment and recovery services.

I have spoken with hundreds of parents and family members across the country who have lost loved ones to overdose. Too many of them shared similar stories about long waits for treatment or a lack of good treatment options in their communities. That’s why the President has called on Congress to pass the $1.1 billion in new funding in his Budget to make sure that every American with an opioid use disorder who wants treatment can get the help they need. 

The President's Budget would also support the placement of treatment providers in the communities most in need and would continue to develop effective treatment programs. This builds on current Administration efforts to expand evidence-based prevention strategies, increase access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, improve prescribing practices for pain medication, and support targeted enforcement activities.

Every day we lose more Americans to this devastating disease. And every day that passes without Congressional action on funding to support the treatment needs of those suffering from opioid use disorders is a missed opportunity to save lives. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The stories of loss are not the only ones I hear in my travels across the country. Millions of Americans are in recovery from opioid and other substance use disorders because they got the treatment and care they needed. That’s why we continue to call on Congress to provide the resources to ensure that every American who wants treatment can get it and start the road to recovery. 

I couldn't respond to all of the questions asked in the chat, but as promised, my team and I put together answers for some of the most-asked questions. Take a look, and share if you know any friends or family who might have similar questions.

On treatment instead of prison

Q: "Rehab, not jail. Addiction needs to be treated as a medical condition, not a crime."

A: I couldn't agree more. From the beginning of this administration, President Obama has said that we cannot arrest and incarcerate our way out of our drug problems. Incarcerating people because of their substance use disorder is inhumane and ineffective. Substance use disorder is a brain disease, and as such needs to be addressed like other health conditions, focusing on prevention and treatment. That's why we've been supporting the ongoing expansion of alternatives to incarceration. A good example of this is drug courts, where law enforcement and public health communities work together to divert individuals from incarceration and into community-based treatment programs. You can learn more about these alternatives here.

On medication to help with recovery

Q: "My son is in recovery now, but is on Suboxone and plans to go on Vivitrol. I know this is not recognized in AA and NA as being clean, but if it keeps my son alive, I'm supporting him. It's been 7 or 8 years of him trying to beat this dreadful disease. I pray this helps him. What are your thoughts on Vivitrol?"

A: We know that chances for long-term recovery from an opioid use disorder are improved when people take a medication, combined with other treatment and recovery supports. The FDA has approved three medications that are highly effective in treating people with opioid use disorders: Methadone, Buprenorphine, and extended-release Naltrexone (Vivitrol). There are multiple paths to recovery, and we want to ensure that everyone has access to these life-saving medications. Learn more about medication-assisted treatment here.

 On dual diagnosis treatment

Q: "Please help us raise awareness, end the stigma and provide dual diagnosis long term treatment for all that seek it. We need facilities with a dual purpose of addiction and mental illness that don't cost an arm and a leg."

A: We're working to end the stigma and misunderstanding that often surround substance use disorders and mental health disorders through outreach and education. We know that there's a high rate of people who are suffering from both mental health and substance use disorders and there is growing awareness of their unique and varied needs. With new chronic care and collaborative treatment approaches and expanded coverage, I'm hopeful that communities can better support the types of care and long term support services needed for individuals with dual diagnoses. You can learn more about co-occurring disorders and treatment here. 

On healthcare costs for quality treatment

Q: "My son is 24, already dreading when he ages out of our insurance. When they are using, holding a job with benefits isn't the norm, and getting good treatment while they are floundering is impossible."

A: Unfortunately, there are many people with substance use disorders who are still without insurance. The federal government does support state treatment and recovery support programs for those who need care but still don't have insurance. You can learn about these programs in your area:

Find treatment services in your state here.

Find your Single State Authority here.

But I believe we also need more funding for treatment. That's why the President's budget calls for $1.1 billion in new funding to expand access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use. This investment, combined with other efforts underway to reduce barriers to treatment for substance use disorders, will help ensure that every American who wants treatment can access it and get the help they need.

On long-term inpatient care

Q: "We need insurance/Medicaid coverage for long term inpatient care. It is so disheartening to be told over and over that programs do not accept your insurance. The window of opportunity of willingness to seek treatment by our addicted children closes very quickly. By the time we research and contact and find programs that will accept our children, they have returned to their disease."

A: Substance use disorder is a chronic disease and people who have it may need long-term services and support. Thankfully, under the Affordable Care Act substance use disorder services are essential health benefits and are required to be covered by health plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace. The law also requires covered substance use disorder benefits to be comparable to medical and surgical benefits. This is to make sure insurance companies cover substance use disorder treatment like they would other diseases. As with other diseases, it is vitally important that people are able access care when and for how long they need it. For more information on treatment resources, check out this page at HHS.gov.

On over-prescribing of pain medication by doctors

Q: "There needs to be more strict prescription-writing laws. Simply pulling an OARRS Report as done here in Ohio, is not enough. These pills are too easy to get and are getting in the wrong hands. It doesn't start with heroin; the pills just become too expensive."

A: I agree that more must be done to address over-prescription. In four years of medical school, students receive on average only 11 hours of pain medication training. And virtually none of that is on treatment of substance use disorders.

Here are the steps we're taking to fix this:

• This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new recommendations for prescribing opioid medications for chronic pain (excluding cancer, palliative, and end-of-life care). This new guideline is for primary care providers—who account for prescribing nearly half of all opioid prescriptions. The new guideline aims to improve the safety of prescribing and curtail the harms associated with opioid use, including opioid use disorder and overdose. The guideline also focuses on increasing the use of other effective treatments available for chronic pain, such as non-opioid medications or non-pharmacologic therapies. You can find the guideline here along with other resources for providers and patients: http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/resources.html
• In October 2015, President Obama issued a memorandum directing Federal Departments and Agencies to provide training on the prescribing of opioid medications to all federal health care professionals who prescribe controlled substances as part of their federal responsibilities. He also announced a commitment by more than 40 provider groups that more than 540,000 health care providers will complete training on appropriate opioid prescribing in the next two years.
• Federal agencies have also worked with state leadership to establish and improve prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which track the prescribing of opioids and other medications, and to encourage physicians to use them routinely before prescribing opioid medications. Importantly, prescriber guidelines are being updated to assist health professionals in making informed prescribing decisions.

For more information: http://www.hhs.gov/opioids/health-professionals-resources/index.html

On waiting times in treatment centers for people who are seeking help to be immediately treated

Q: "The window of opportunity is so very short when they decide to ask for treatment. We need to be able to get them into treatment as soon as they request it, but often there are long waits for beds and they use to avoid the pain of withdrawals. We need faster beds for them."

A: On demand services are not as available as they need to be. But the good news is that the Affordable Care Act is greatly expanding treatment and is also making treatment available in new settings, such as primary care. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $100 million in new funding for approximately 300 Community Health Centers to expand outpatient services for individuals with substance use disorders, including medication-assisted treatment. New Medicaid demonstration projects also allow states to reimburse for certain types of residential substance use disorder treatment services. More funding for treatment is needed, which is why the President has called for $1.1 billion in new funding in his budget to help ensure that all Americans who want treatment can get the help they need. Here's some more information about the federal response to the opioid epidemic.

On post-treatment support

Q: "I think the biggest challenge is access to affordable care within the community and assistance when they get out of rehab. Not having the appropriate services lined up to support recovery set them up for failure."

A: The Administration has made supporting recovery in the community a national drug policy priority. The risk of reoccurrence is particularly elevated when individuals transition from a controlled environment--whether that be a residential treatment program or incarceration--to the community. When the individual is in the early stages of recovery from an opioid use disorder this translates to an elevated risk of overdose death. This risk can be reduced through the provision of continuing care and recovery support services; initiating medication-assisted treatment prior to release for incarcerated persons with opioid use disorders; and by assuring the availability of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication.

The Affordable Care Act is expanding access to substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services nationally. In addition, the Administration is expanding and enhancing community-based recovery support services through programs such as the Recovery Community Services Program and the Targeted Capacity Expansion Peer-to-Peer Support grants and through the continuation of the Access to Recovery Program. You can learn more about these services here.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that opioids—a class of drugs that include prescription pain medications and heroin—were involved in 28,648 deaths in 2014. And between 2002 and 2013, the number of heroin-related deaths in America nearly quadrupled. 

Today, the President announced his proposal to invest $1.1 billion in his FY 2017 budget proposal to address the epidemic of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use.

The President’s proposal takes a two-pronged approach. It includes $1 billion in new mandatory funding over two years to expand access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use. This funding will boost efforts to help individuals with an opioid use disorder seek treatment, successfully complete treatment, and sustain recovery. Specifically, this new funding will address the following:

• $920 million to support cooperative agreements with states to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders. States will receive funds based on the severity of the epidemic and on the strength of their strategy to respond to it. States can use these funds to expand treatment capacity and make services more affordable. 
• $50 million in National Health Service Corps funding to expand access to substance use treatment providers. This funding will help support approximately 700 health providers who can administer substance use disorder treatment services, including medication-assisted treatment, in areas across the country most in need of these specialists.
• $30 million to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment programs employing medication-assisted treatment under real-world conditions and help identify opportunities to improve treatment for patients with opioid use disorders.

The budget proposal also contains approximately $500 million—an increase of more than $90 million—to continue and build on current efforts across the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand state-level prescription drug overdose prevention strategies, increase the availability of medication-assisted treatment programs, improve access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, and support targeted enforcement activities. 

This proposal will not only expand access to help people start treatment, but help them successfully complete it and sustain their recovery.  It will fund education, prevention, drug monitoring programs, and law enforcement efforts to keep illegal drugs out of our communities.

To learn more about the opioid epidemic or to find treatment options for patients, family or friends, visit www.hhs.gov/opioids.