The results are in from our April and May Medication Take-Back Events. We collected 728.55 pounds in April and 896 pounds in May.
The May medication collection event at Walgreens produced our highest amount for a one day, one location event. We have now collected 1,951.65 pounds this year and 16,112.92 total pounds since late 2008.
Remember, the real killer is in your medicine cabinet. Keep your unused medications out of the wrong hands. If you have any unwanted or unused medications, drop them off any time at the Knoxville Police Department’s Safety Building located at 800 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue.
It’s hard to believe that there is such a large amount of unused prescription medications in our area. This is due to our reliance on pharmaceuticals to “fix” our health problems. It’s a cultural expectation in the United States. Drug consumption in the U.S. has grown 109% from 2000-2004. Four out of five patients leave their doctor’s office with at least one prescription. Doctors often prescribe more than what’s needed for acute pain, causing medications to accumulate in home medicine cabinets.
What can you do to help? Dispose of unused or unwanted medications at take-back sites, do NOT dispose of any medication by flushing them down the toilet, purchase narcotics in small amounts – limiting expired medications, commit to health and wellness strategies to reduce your reliance on medications and limit the number of narcotics prescribed.
If you have unused medication, please use the drop-off box, located just inside the KPD Safety Building’s lobby, 800 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, to dispose of expired or unwanted medications at any time, twenty fours a day, seven days a week.