Milwaukee County has been hit hard by the misuse of prescription painkillers and other opiates. The RISE Drug Free MKE coalition places a special focus on preventing the misuse of these powerful drugs so that people don't become addicted or overdose.
In recent years, Milwaukee has seen encouraging signs of progress, including a decline in overdose deaths in 2024, thanks to expanded access to naloxone and community-based prevention efforts.
RISE Drug Free MKE works alongsige community partners to reduce prescription drug misuse through education, prevention, and local action.
What is Prescription Drug Misuse?
- Taking medication in a way that was not prescribed, including higher doses or more frequent use
- Using someone else's prescription
- Using medication for the feeling it causes, rather than its intended purpose
Medications, even prescribed medication, can have side effects and be addictive. Just because a doctor prescribes them, doesn't make them automatically safe.
- Follow dosage instructions carefully
- Never share your medication
- Ask your doctor about side effects and drug interactions
Safe storage and disposal are simple steps that help keep your family and our community safe.
Unused or expired prescription medication in your home may be easily accessed by others and can pose a risk. Fortunately, there are safe and convenient options for disposal:
- Medication drop boxes at pharmacies or community locations
- Drug deactivation pouches for at-home disposal.
Find safe disposal locations here.
Harm Reduction Vending Machines
Did you know that there are Harm Reduction Vending Machines located all around Milwaukee County with supplies, such as Narcan and drug deactivation pouches? That's right! All supplies are free and available without questions.
One of the locations is Community Advocates’ downtown offices at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee, where anyone can access the items during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
You can find a map of Harm Reducation Vending Machine locations here.
To address Milwaukee County’s opioids crisis, the RISE Drug Free MKE coalition has participated in these activities:
- Encouraging safe storage of medication by distributing lock boxes to ensure that properly prescribed and used medication is stored safely and securely and providing deactivation kits to easily and conveniently destroy unwanted medication at home
- Promoting secure, 24/7 drug drop-boxes at local law enforcement, fire departments, and university sites so that unwanted medication is removed from homes
- Supporting the addition of secure drug drop-boxes at local pharmacies, health care facilities, and easily accessed sites through our partner Take Back My Meds Milwaukee
- Sponsoring public service announcements shown before film screenings and on TV and social media to encourage responsible use and storage of medication
- Partnering on the Wisconsin Opioid Project, a multimedia campaign providing support to those coping with opioid (mis)use and active addiction and offering information about the warning signs of opioid (mis)use and overdose.
- Organizing the youth-led public service announcement “My New Friends” video to warn against trusting friends who offer appealing but dangerous drugs.
- Promoting the Dose of Reality campaign at eight Marquette University basketball games per season by providing outreach to fans; giving away playing cards featuring eight star players, Coach Steve Wojciechowski, and facts about prescription drug (mis)use; and running PSAs on the scoreboard during the game.
- Hosting the Reality Check Drug Awareness Program so that adults can learn common signs of substance (mis)use in young adults.
- Offering Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals (DITEP) to enable those who work in schools to recognize the signs of drug and/or alcohol impairment.
- Offering Senior Safety Talks at senior living centers and churches with collections picked up by local law enforcement.
- Building alliances with local pharmacists and members of the health community to exchange information on safe prescribing and disposing of medication.
