Proper Disposal of Unused or Expired Prescription Drugs Can Save Lives
Author
South Shore Health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 78 people die every day due to an opioid overdose.
Studies show that residential supplies of pharmaceutical controlled substances, those often found in home medicine cabinets, are often the supply of choice to young people and criminals. Though effective when used properly, many of these medications are highly addictive and dangerous when abused.
A prescription drop off program allows people to safely dispose of unused or unwanted medications—keeping harmful substances, especially dangerous narcotics, both out of the hands of those who could abuse them and out of our environment.
South Shore Health now has a drop box available to the public. The box will be located inside the South Entrance on Fogg Road in Weymouth, adjacent to the Emergency entrance.
“The drop box is one more tool to help us achieve our goal of reducing the number of unused, excess prescription drugs, particularly opioid pills, available in medicine cabinets for potential abuse or misuse," said Luke O'Connell, MD, Co-Chair of the Opioid Task Force of South Shore Health.
Items allowed in the drop box include:
- Prescription medications
- Prescription patches
- Prescription ointments
- Over-the-counter medications
- Vitamins
- Sample medications
- Medications for pets
Items NOT allowed in the drop box include:
- Needles
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Inhalers
- Aerosol Cans
- Lotions or liquids
- Thermometers
The box will be accessible 24 hours a day and will be monitored by security system. The medicines can be dropped into the boxes anonymously, although it is recommended that you remove personal information from your prescriptions before discarding.
The installation of our prescription drop box at the hospital coincides with National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 22. Here is a list of other local prescription drop off locations.
Learn more about South Shore Health's initiatives to combat substance use disorder.
Author
South Shore Health
