JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A local Navy veteran and former addict is on a mission to fight back against the opioid crisis in the U.S. where an average of 115 people die every day from an opioid overdose.
Steven Mougeot plans to open a compounding pharmacy on St. Johns Bluff Road S. where he'll mix his own drugs, offering an alternative to the schedule two narcotics that continue to claim the lives of loved ones.
Mougeot served eight years in the U.S. Navy, earned a degree in psychology a doctorate in pharmacy and was once addicted to drugs.
"My first drink was age 8," he said. "My first drug was age 12 and by 17, I went into rehab. I really wanted to focus on something very meaningful to my own life. I've been clean and sober for almost 27 years."
He'll be missing out on big business by refusing to sell highly addictive drugs, but the father of two who knows all too well about the struggles of addiction says he simply doesn't care. Once his shop is open he plans to tithe all proceeds.
"I'm here to help you make your best life but I'm not gonna carry some of those schedule two opiates, narcotics and amphetamines," he said. "You can get that from other pharmacies."
Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016 and roughly 40 percent of those deaths involved a prescription opioid.
"It's not just the person shooting heroin on the street, it's what's in your medicine cabinet and why you keep going back for that," he said. "I want to offer an alternative that doctors can write for."
A pharmacist can refuse prescriptions over any doubt. They are encouraged to call the doctor to resolve any concerns. Pharmacists are urged to use a state database established to crack down on abuse.
Mougeot aims to open Thrive Pharmacy in August pending final approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
If you have any questions, you can contact Mougeot by email at thrivepharmacy1@gmail.com.