Sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the FTPD will be accepting medicines as part of National Drug Take Back Day. Also, members of the Fort Thomas Lions Club will be there picking up old glasses, which they will collect, clean and redistribute at their cost to families in need across the region.
The Fort Thomas Lions Club, established in 1940, is a group dedicated to serving the community in many aspects, with an emphasis on work for the blind and visually impaired. The membership boasts more than 125 men from Fort Thomas.
“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and health issue by providing a convenient way for citizens to help prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths,” said Donelan.
“Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands,” he said. “That’s dangerous and often tragic. This event gives people the opportunity to turn in their prescription drugs safely and anonymously.”
Collection activities will take place from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. in front of the city building.
Leftover or expired drugs can be harmful in a variety of ways. Out-of-date medications can degrade and lose their effectiveness. They can pose environmental pollution to water supplies if disposed of improperly. They can be accidentally ingested by children, stolen, misused and abused.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.
Last year, citizens across the U.S. safely disposed of 456 tons of unneeded medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Donelan said that the program is designed to be easy for citizens and offered the following tips for those interested in participating:
●Participants may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box located at the drop off location.
●All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers will be accepted. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in original containers. The depositor should ensure that the cap is tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
●Intravenous solutions, injectables and syringes will not be accepted due to potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens.
●Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.
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