Saturday, April 24, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, a day set by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to address the public safety and health issue of excess prescription drugs.
According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019.
The same survey showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.
Drug Take Back Day collections provide a safe and confidential way for the public to dispose of pharmaceuticals that are no longer needed for their intended purpose or are expired, eliminating the chance they could be misused.
There is no Drug Take Back Day collection on Greene County because, thanks to a partnership of Greene County Medical Center and Medicap Pharmacy, every day is Drug Take Back Day in Greene County.
A Medsafe just inside the main entrance at the medical center provides a secure place to dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused medications.
The Medsafe is available for disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications including
- Tablets and capsules
- Liquid containers (less than 4 oz0
- Powders
- Suppositories
- Patches
- Controlled substances including narcotics
- Sample medications
Some items cannot be placed in the MedSafe including
- Liquid containers of more than 4 oz
- Sharps containers
- Needles
- Syringes
- Batteries
- Aerosol spray cans
- Trash
- Medical devices
- Chemicals or other hazardous materials
- Illegal drugs
To protect the privacy of persons using the MedSafe and the safety of medical center staff, everyone must put their own items in the MedSafe. Items cannot be dropped off at the door for staff to put in the MedSafe.
The Medsafe is available Monday-Friday from 6 am to 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 7 am to 9 pm.
