Almost every home has one — that cabinet or drawer filled with prescriptions and other medications. And if yours is like most, it probably contains a few things you didn’t know you had, or no longer need. And that can have serious consequences. More than 2.9 million opioid prescriptions are written every year in Wisconsin. That’s right, 2.9 million! And when unused and expired medications start to pile up, it’s easy for them to fall into the wrong hands. Far too often, medications that get overlooked cause unintended harm or become a gateway to misuse. Wisconsin has continually been a leader in collecting unused and expired medications during national drug take back days. In the past, upwards of 100,000 pounds of medications have been collected in a single year. That’s the same weight as two full-sized snowplows you see clearing our Wisconsin roads every winter. But the most important part of the collection effort is a statistic impossible to measure — the lives potentially saved with every safe disposal. And make no mistake — safe disposal saves lives. Simply gather medications you no longer need, remove or cover up prescription or personal information and put them in a zip-loc bag. Then choose a safe disposal option that’s best for you. Many permanent drug drop boxes are available year-round across the state in convenient locations like pharmacies and police stations. This year, Fond du Lac County Health Department is collaborating with the Fond du Lac Senior Center and Fond du Lac Police Department to host a pop-up Drug Take Back Event on Friday, April 26. The 2-hour window provides another opportunity for safe disposal.
Date: Friday April 26 from 10:30-12:30am
Location: Fond du Lac Senior Center, 151 East 1 st Street, Fond du Lac, WI 54935
What: Safe disposal for prescription and over-the-counter medications
If you’d like to learn more about safe medication disposal and all available options, visit doseofrealitywi.gov.
