CANBY, Ore. — It’s a hot time at the Clackamas County Fair but the fun stuff you’d expect continues. And amidst it all is a booth in the shade where the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office has set up. It’s a first, to engage with fairgoers. And they’ve got something important they’re giving away.
”The public has been excited to have this opportunity and we’ve been excited to be able to provide it to them,” said District Attorney John Wentworth.
Wentworth is talking about something packaged in a blue and black pouch called Deterra. Inside is a smaller pouch of carbon material. When you add water to that, it becomes a safe way to get rid of unwanted drugs. You simply drop them, seal the pouch, give it a gentle shake and the drugs are deactivated and can never be brought back to use.
It’s important because right now we have such a problem in Oregon with fentanyl use and other opioids, to have some solutions available,” said Wentworth.
The DA said he discovered the patented product at a conference. He thought it was the right approach to help people get rid of unwanted drugs, either prescription or illicit. And especially opioids, where the narcotic effects can initially be soothing.
“And if they like that feeling it can be really tempting to keep going, some people can use three pills and they have 27 left. This is a product that allows them to get rid of those in a very safe and healthy way,” said Wentworth.
So along with a spinning wheel game for prizes like candy or stickers, the district attorney and his team are providing a new way to get rid of something that may be tempting, or just sitting in your home, with no good way to get rid of it easily.
“I haven’t tried it yet but I think it’s a great idea, better than dumping them in the garbage,” said one woman who came by the booth.
This fair-time effort is just a start, Wentworth said the county has more on the way, after making a major bulk purchase of Deterra.
“For us, I wanted to bring this product back and give the public an opportunity to find a way to dispose of opioids or other drugs… that they may not want to use anymore and take those temptations or opportunities for drug users away and make our community safer.”
After the drugs have been deactivated, all you do is toss the package in the trash. It is made of plant-based materials, so it is environmentally friendly as well.
Wentworth said, while Clackamas County is still developing a distribution system beyond the fair, the city of San Diego had a successful program mailing pouches to citizens.