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Anyone associated with pharmaceuticals and packaging is likely aware President Trump signed the SUPPORT Act recently. The Substance Use–Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, also known as SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, includes a specific address to the type of packaging that should be utilized to stem the tide on opioid addiction.

Using song to lure TV listeners in with the hope that consumers will relate to the product is not new. Its purpose? To do what it does for me: think about one’s youth and a happy, carefree time with no bills, no house payment and no work hours. And, as a child of the ’70s, I’m happy to reflect back through familiar tunes.

We have reached the holidays — that time of year when retailers, e-commerce stores and brands go crazy with seasonal packaging, special gift sets, brand extensions and intriguing flavor options.

Each holiday season, shoppers buy more gifts online than the year before — not surprising, given continuous growth in e-commerce year-round. In December, surging residential package deliveries draw increased attention. As people notice boxes everywhere, it’s natural to wonder: Is e-commerce increasing packaging use and waste?

Women comprise nearly half of the working population (47.5 percent), yet they are underrepresented in the manufacturing industry — making up only about one-third of the manufacturing workforce in the United States.

Environmentally conscious consumers are looking for packaging that uses fewer resources and less energy than other forms of packaging. Flexible packaging minimizes transport costs between the converter, packager/filler, retailer and end user.

In its most recent article, the HCPC reviewed how the FDA was looking at a variety of alternatives to stem the opioid epidemic. The HCPC has been involved in this effort by promoting the wide-ranging benefits of unit-dose blister packaging.

Packaging machinery sales in the U.S. grew 4.8 percent in 2016, reaching a total of $9.8 billion, according to the “2017 State of the Industry – US Packaging Machinery” report, produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing.