Community Members Invited to Safely Dispose of Medications During October 28 Event
University of Michigan Health-West and the City of Wyoming will join forces to assist residents in safely and responsibly disposing of prescription and over-the-counter medications on Saturday, October 28, 2023, as part of National Drug Take Back Day.
Community members are invited to a drive-thru drop-off location from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UM Health-West’s Professional Building, located at 2122 Health Dr. SW. Trained staff will be available to accept medications anonymously, including controlled substances, with no questions asked.
In previous events, the Drug Take Back Day collected 240 pounds of unwanted prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, which were safely incinerated at the Kent County’s Waste to Energy Facility.
Both organizations acknowledge the role of community education in safeguarding the environment and reducing opportunities for prescription drug abuse, which remains a significant public health concern in the nation. Studies have indicated that most abused prescription drugs are acquired from family and friends, often originating from home medicine cabinets.
“The Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for community members to help prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to clean out your medicine cabinets and bring your unneeded prescription drugs to be disposed of safely,” said Pete Haverkamp, Director of Pharmacy at UM Health-West. “Something this simple can make our homes and community safer and help fight the opioid epidemic.”
“Taking advantage of this free and anonymous Drug Take Back Day can help save lives in our community,” Wyoming Police Chief Kim Koster said. “Proper medication disposal prevents accidental poisonings, drug addiction and overdose deaths. It can also help preserve the environment by reducing the number of medications in landfills and sewer systems.
In addition to the Drug Take Back Day event, there are four year-round SafeMeds drop-off sites in Wyoming, including the Department of Public Safety facility. Community members can conveniently drop off prescription and over-the-counter medications between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.
For more information about Wyoming’s National Take Back Day event and a list of SafeMeds drop-off sites, please visit wyomingmi.gov/SafeMeds.