Fall has arrived, and as you begin to prep your house and gardens for a winter’s nap, consider prepping your medicine cabinets by disposing of unused or unwanted medications.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs in 2017, and the majority of prescription drugs were obtained from family and friend’s medicine cabinets. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services links misusing prescription painkillers to heroin use, as three out of four heroin users started by abusing prescription pain killers.
Both the Merrill and Tomahawk Police Departments play key roles in Drug Take Back in Lincoln County. Both departments have reported high utilization of the permanent medication disposal units at their agencies. Tomahawk Police Chief, Al Elvins shared, “The amount of medications turned into the take-back boxes has far exceeded my expectations.” In addition, Merrill Police Chief, Corey Bennett stated, “Every year our department collects well over 100 pounds of raw pills, bottles and packaging not included. Removing these unneeded prescriptions from accessibility prevents criminal activity and fights a public health concern.”
Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for October 26, 2019. This is an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. In Lincoln County, Drug Take Back Day is every day; unwanted and unused medications can be disposed year round at the following locations:
Merrill Police Department
1004 E. 1st Street, Merrill
Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Tomahawk Police Department
219 West Somo Avenue, Tomahawk
Available 24/7
Marshfield Clinic-Merrill
1205 O’Day Street, Merrill
Monday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm Tomahawk Pharmacy
844 N. 4th Street, Tomahawk
Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-6:00pm, Sat. 8:30am-12:00pm
To learn more about Drug Take Back Day and how to prevent prescription drug abuse visit:
https://takebackday.dea.gov/
Healthy Minds for Lincoln County is a part of Live Well Lincoln, a collaborative that strives to promote partnerships within the community to improve health through advocacy, prevention and implementation of best practices. To learn more about Healthy Minds for Lincoln County contact Kristin Bath at 715-539-1373 or [email protected] or Debbie Moellendorf at 715-539-1077 or [email protected]