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The Putnam Communities That Care Coalition, in collaboration with the Putnam County Health Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, will be holding the "Fall Medication Take Back" event at the Putnam Hospital Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Medication Take Back Day is safe, good for the environment and can save lives. By bringing in expired or unwanted medications to a take back day, you insure that it will be disposed of in a safe manner, according to the Sheriff's Department.
Members of the Sheriff’s Department will be present to secure and dispose of the medications. By doing so, you also insure that there are no “accidental” poisonings/overdoses by leaving unwanted prescriptions in your home.
When you participate in Medication Take Back Day, you don’t have to worry about causing harm to the environment by flushing medications down the toilet or disposing of them in your trash.
Medicines that are flushed down the drain or that leach from landfills eventually end up in our waterways. Pharmaceuticals have become a significant water pollutant nationwide.
In addition, prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the U.S. today. Home medicine cabinets can be now be seen as the “new” drug dealer. Every year, prescription painkillers cause more than 16,000 deaths and 475,000 emergency room visits.
To take part, please enter through the Putnam Hospital Center Cancer Pavilion entrance. Signage will be posted leading to the disposal area. Individuals can dispose of prescription medication, over the counter medication, and pet medication. Syringes will not be accepted. Please keep all medications in their original packaging and remove personal patient information.
For additional information, contact: Robert Morris of the Putnam County Health Department at 845-808-1390 ext. 43166 or Bruce Kelly of the Putnam CTC Coalition at 845-225-4646.
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