Prescription take back program scheduled for Oct. 29
While prescription medications are life-saving substances, unwanted and expired prescription drugs pose a serious threat to both public safety and public health.
With prescription drug abuse and overdoses caused by accidental ingestion of prescription drugs on the rise and concerns growing about the environmental effects on the country’s drinking water supply caused by flushing prescription medication down the drain, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is teaming up with local law enforcement officials in an effort to safely dispose of these potentially dangerous substances.
For the second time this year, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency is joining over 5,000 law enforcement agencies across the country in national prescription drug take back initiative aimed at keeping these substances out of the hands of drug abusers and dealers and safely disposing of them in an environmentally safe way.
According to MEDWAY’s Jim Garrett, on Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., MEDWAY will be holding prescription drug take back events throughout Wayne, Holmes and Medina counties.
The events will be held at four locations in Wayne County including the Wayne County Justice Center in downtown Wooster, the Cleveland Clinic Wooster Family Health Center at 721 East Milltown Rd. in Wooster, the Rittman Police Department and the Orrville Police Department and one location in Holmes County - the Millersburg Police Department.
The event is designed to make turning in potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs safe and simple.
All community members need to do is gather up their unwanted items and bring them to one of the collection points. Law enforcement officers will take it from there.
Garrett noted that the program is completely confidential and that those turning in medication will not be asked to give any personal information. To ensure complete privacy, Garrett noted that labels containing personal information should either be removed or blacked out.
According to Garrett, while most prescription medications will be accepted there are certain items the program is unable to accept including hazardous materials, needles, thermometers, IV bags, aerosol cans, personal care products, hydrogen peroxide, business waste or infectious or bloody waste.
By cleaning out their medicine cabinets and bringing expired and unwanted drugs to the event, community members can do their part to keep unwanted medications out of the wrong hands and ensures they are properly disposed of by law enforcement officers.
As Garrett noted, medicines left unattended or disposed of carelessly are a danger to the community in many ways, whether it’s accidental ingestion by people or pets, theft, illegal use or even identity theft from discarded containers with patient information.
Not only are unwanted prescription drugs a danger to the people who use them, the disposal of prescription drugs by flushing them down a toilet poses a danger to the environment. According to Garret, because wastewater facilities aren’t always designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals, drugs can contaminate water supplies and endanger aquatic life.
Through this unique program, law enforcement officials are working to combat both dangers.
Garrett noted that MEDWAY and area law enforcement agencies are pleased to be able to partner with the DEA on this important initiative.
The DEA’s two-year effort to rid communities of unwanted and expired prescription drugs is gaining momentum.
According to statistics released by the DEA, during a similar event held in April of this year, more than 188 tons of out-of-date and unwanted prescription were collected and safely disposed of throughout the country, more than double the amount collected during last September’s event.
With prescription drug abuse and overdoses caused by accidental ingestion of prescription drugs on the rise and concerns growing about the environmental effects on the country’s drinking water supply caused by flushing prescription medication down the drain, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is teaming up with local law enforcement officials in an effort to safely dispose of these potentially dangerous substances.
For the second time this year, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency is joining over 5,000 law enforcement agencies across the country in national prescription drug take back initiative aimed at keeping these substances out of the hands of drug abusers and dealers and safely disposing of them in an environmentally safe way.
According to MEDWAY’s Jim Garrett, on Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., MEDWAY will be holding prescription drug take back events throughout Wayne, Holmes and Medina counties.
The events will be held at four locations in Wayne County including the Wayne County Justice Center in downtown Wooster, the Cleveland Clinic Wooster Family Health Center at 721 East Milltown Rd. in Wooster, the Rittman Police Department and the Orrville Police Department and one location in Holmes County - the Millersburg Police Department.
The event is designed to make turning in potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs safe and simple.
All community members need to do is gather up their unwanted items and bring them to one of the collection points. Law enforcement officers will take it from there.
Garrett noted that the program is completely confidential and that those turning in medication will not be asked to give any personal information. To ensure complete privacy, Garrett noted that labels containing personal information should either be removed or blacked out.
According to Garrett, while most prescription medications will be accepted there are certain items the program is unable to accept including hazardous materials, needles, thermometers, IV bags, aerosol cans, personal care products, hydrogen peroxide, business waste or infectious or bloody waste.
By cleaning out their medicine cabinets and bringing expired and unwanted drugs to the event, community members can do their part to keep unwanted medications out of the wrong hands and ensures they are properly disposed of by law enforcement officers.
As Garrett noted, medicines left unattended or disposed of carelessly are a danger to the community in many ways, whether it’s accidental ingestion by people or pets, theft, illegal use or even identity theft from discarded containers with patient information.
Not only are unwanted prescription drugs a danger to the people who use them, the disposal of prescription drugs by flushing them down a toilet poses a danger to the environment. According to Garret, because wastewater facilities aren’t always designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals, drugs can contaminate water supplies and endanger aquatic life.
Through this unique program, law enforcement officials are working to combat both dangers.
Garrett noted that MEDWAY and area law enforcement agencies are pleased to be able to partner with the DEA on this important initiative.
The DEA’s two-year effort to rid communities of unwanted and expired prescription drugs is gaining momentum.
According to statistics released by the DEA, during a similar event held in April of this year, more than 188 tons of out-of-date and unwanted prescription were collected and safely disposed of throughout the country, more than double the amount collected during last September’s event.
Published: October 16, 2011
