ERIC NORRIS / FLICKR
Roughly 4,250 Ohioans die as a result of drug overdoses annually.
This Saturday, October 28, those with expired, unnecessary or unwanted prescription medications can anonymously dispose of them at nine locations in the Cleveland area during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 25th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
“I encourage everyone to dispose of unneeded medications to help keep our communities safe and healthy,” DEA Detroit agent Orville Greene said in a release. “The Take Back campaign is part of DEA’s continued efforts to combat the drug poisoning epidemic and protect the safety and health of communities.”
When thrown in the garbage, medications can get into the wastewater stream and pose an environmental threat or end up in the hands of someone struggling with substance abuse.
Ohio’s overdose death rate is 85 percent higher than the national average, with roughly 4,250 drug overdoses deaths annually — more than six percent of nationwide overdose deaths according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.
A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that a majority of people using prescription medications for nonmedical purposes get the medications from family members or friends. According to the Ohio Department of Aging, more than 40 percent of teenagers who misuse prescription drugs get them from relatives’ medicine cabinets.
Drop-off locations will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will accept prescription drug tablets, capsules and patches but not syringes, sharps or illicit drugs. They’ll also collect vaping devices and cartridges but only if lithium batteries are removed.
In the DEA’s most recent National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, held in April, more than 21 tons of drugs were collected. Since the agency started hosting collections Ohioans have turned in nearly 420 tons of unwanted prescription drugs.
Those interested can find one of the 4,000 participating collection sites nationwide here or locate a year-round controlled substance public disposal location here.
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