If you’re guilty of hoarding that old medicine, thinking you may need it for some other ailment later on, think again. Medications do expire, and they are prescribed for specific problems, not as general drugs to cure whatever ails you.
For the safety of our Fulton County youth and families, Healthy Choices Caring Communities, Swanton Area Community Coalition, the Archbold, Delta, Swanton and Wauseon Police Departments and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with area pharmacies are giving our community an opportunity to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On Saturday, October 22 from 10 am until 2 pm, locations in Archbold, Delta, Lyons, and Wauseon will accept tablets, capsules and all other SOLID dosage forms of unneeded or expired medication. Swanton locations will be accepting solid medications, intravenous solutions, injectables, and syringes.
Participating sites include:
Archbold: Archbold Police Department – 405 E Lutz Road
Delta: Memorial Hall – 401 Main Street
Lyons: Fire Department – 409 W Morenci
Swanton: Pharmacy – 147 E Airport
Swanton: Municipal Office – Village Council Room Entrance – 219 Chestnut
Wauseon: Rite Aid Pharmacy – 1496 N Shoop Avenue
Wauseon: Walmart – 485 E Airport Highway
According to Wauseon Police Chief Torbet, “It is important for the safety of our community to get these unused or expired prescriptions out of family medicine cabinets. This will help us keep these prescription drugs off our streets and prevent them from being misused or abused.” Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, potentially leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse. The abuse of prescription drugs is now the second leading cause of accidental death and has other unintended consequences, such as increased prevalence of prescription medication abuse and diversion throughout the United States.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, abuse of prescription drugs to get high has become increasingly prevalent among teens and young adults. Past abuse of prescription pain killers now ranks second—only behind marijuana—as the Nation’s most prevalent illegal drug problem. In recent findings, 50% of heroin addictions start with prescription drugs. Don’t leave them in your medicine cabinet!
Fulton County also has 5 drop off locations that can be used throughout the year.
Please visit:
Swanton Police Department – Mon – Fri from 8:00am – 4:30pm
Fayette Police Department – Mon – Fri from 7:00am – 3:00pm, Sat from 8:00am – 3:00pm, Sun from 9:00am – 3:00pm
Wauseon Police Department – Anytime 24/7
Fulton County Sheriff’s Office – Anytime 24/7
Archbold Police Department – Mon – Fri from 8:30am – 12:30 pm and 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Healthy Choices Caring Communities, an initiative of the Fulton County Family & Children First Council, is a group of community members working together to prevent and reduce youth use of alcohol and other drugs in Fulton County. To become a member of the HC3, or for more information, contact Beth Thomas, Project Director, at 419-337-0915 or visit www.HC3Partnership.org
INFORMATION PROVIDED