CLINTON, OK - ‘Strong communities start with safe homes,’ said Shelby Wilson, pharmacist at Salisbury Pharmacy. She wants to remind Clinton residents that unused, unwanted, and out of date prescription medications can be dangerous.
Please check your medicine cabinets and collect items for the DEA’s Drug Take Back Day event, Saturday, October 25th, from 9am to 1pm. Residents can drive through the event at Interbank, 807 West Gary Boulevard, and drop off unwanted prescription meds.
All medications collected are destroyed by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
‘You might be unaware of the dangers within your medicine cabinet. If a small child accidentally took a dose meant for an adult, it could be disastrous,’ offered Steve Berry, with SWODA’s Opioid Abatement Project. ‘Pets, individuals with intellectual challenges, and older adults with memory deficits are also at risk.’
When it comes to unused or unwanted medications, ‘Dispose, don’t expose,’ Wilson added. She encourages people to lock up narcotics using a lock box or bag. The event will offer these items for free while supplies last.
‘If you know someone with lots of unwanted medications, there will also be free at-home disposal kits. Kits are an environmentally friendly and discreet way to destroy unused meds. The kits are also great to share with others,’ offered Berry.
Local businesses and agencies will be on hand to distribute Free Medication Lock Boxes/ Bags, Naloxone (Narcan), Community Resource Guides, and At-Home Med Disposal Kits while supplies last.
Salisbury Pharmacy, Red Rock Behavioral Health, South Western Oklahoma Development Authority, Interbank, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Office of Recovery, and Branch 15 Recovery Residence have partnered with OBN and the Clinton Police Department to hold the event.
‘The DEA prevents us from taking liquids, glass containers, syringes, sharps, or inhalers,’ said Berry. For more information on this event, or how to get the resources mentioned, please contact one of the sponsoring businesses or organizations.
SWODA’s Abatement Project funding comes from a grant from the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board. SWODA is a public trust representing Custer and seven other counties in Southwest Oklahoma. Contact Steve Berry at 580-562-5043 or at [email protected].
