Rx Disposal

Can I just share how excited I am? Did you know that the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department in Hyde Park will take back our unused, expired, and unwanted prescriptions year-round?  No questions asked...!

You may be wondering why this excites me soooooo much?  Many of the reasons are actually closely interrelated and boil down to making our communities safer. But here are my thoughts...

1. It gives me a place to get rid of them getting them out of my house as soon as I'm done with a prescription I no longer need.  This eliminates the chance that my children will stumble on my secure hiding spot and decide to be curious.  
2. I had the opportunity to watch Hungry Heart, a movie that looks at prescription drug and opiate addiction among kids in Vermont.  Yes I said kids... some of the kids featured in the movie started using at age 12. Many twelve year olds are still attending elementary school.  The movie raises several questions, but one of the biggest is where the kids are getting pills in the first place?  Some bought the pills or were offered by friends/family... but they still had to come from somewhere.  Doctors prescribe painkillers (often opiates) for many legitimate reasons, however patients don't always use them correctly, finish them or secure them properly leaving them easily available to those looking.   Yeah... that 1/2 bottle hanging out in the back of your medicine cabinet or closet may be the start to someone's addiction.  Get rid of it. - The cost of drug addiction is staggering and extracts a high price on the user, her family, and the community as the user does whatever necessary to get her next high.  If we reduce kids access they are less likely to try it - making everyone's lives better.
3. Getting rid of them makes you less of a target, especially seniors. According to the 2011 National survey on drug use and health, "70% of people 12 and older who abuse prescription drugs get them from family and friends." If someone's looking for drugs and  rifles through your things and finds them... they'll be back. 
4. It protects the environment... Vermont Public Radio recently aired a story titled, "What's in your water?"   A lot of our drugs don't just go away if we choose to flush them.  Our wastewater treatment plants are not designed to filter these substances.  Taking them to a DEA approved drop-off location instead of flushing them prevents them from getting into your drinking water and harming wildlife. 
5. Simply put: It just makes our communities safer.

Recently, I had a really good conversation with Nate Dandrow at the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department.  He was extremely helpful in answering my questions and is all about keeping our communities safe and getting rid of unused drugs that may prove to be a temptation.  Nate gave me permission to share his contact information with community members.  Call Nate Dandrow with your questions at 851-1370 (school day) or at the 888-3502 (Sheriff's Department).  Nate can also be reached via email: ndandrow@luhs18.org.

Check back soon for a post on proper storage.  

So... please share this information with your loved ones and neighbors... doing so could save a life.  

The DEA also has scheduled Community RX Take Back Events coming up in April:

Got Drugs?

Bring any unused, expired, & Unwanted Medications

RX Take BACK EVENT

APRIL 26th 10:00-2:00

Locations

Lamoille County Sheriff’s Dept. (YearRound) 

Stowe Police Department

Kinney Drugs in Morrisville

GW/Tatro in Jeffersonville

Hardwick Police Department

Safe Disposal Keeps Our Communities Safe!