Tired of seeing those old pill bottles in your medicine cabinet?
Did your doctor change your medications and you have some pills remaining from a previous prescription?
Perhaps you’ve cleaned out the medicine cabinet and found some expired medications that you’d forgotten.
Family Connection & Communities In Schools of Washington County and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department are sponsoring a Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 where the public can safely and securely dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs by dropping them off during a drive-thru event.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to a change in chemical composition or a decrease in strength. Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and sub-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance.
In addition, many Americans may not be not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse, according to a statement by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarming, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Expired medicines and/or unused medications are also not just a risk to the person they were prescribed for, and can injure children and pets if taken by mistake.
Unused/expired medications can also release toxic chemicals into the environment if they make it to the landfill.
The Drug Take Back event will take place on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Unused or expired prescription medications can be dropped off during the drive-thru event with no questions asked.
For more information about this event, contact Family Connection & Communities In Schools of Washington County by calling 478-553-2125.
