Public urged to drop off unused medication

County drug take-back event set for April 26

Area residents looking to dispose of unused or expired medication are being urged to drop them off at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, 635 N. Erie St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26.

Area residents looking to dispose of unused or expired medication are being urged to drop them off at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, 635 N. Erie St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26.

The Medication Take Back Day initiative is spearheaded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and several area police and fire departments are participating.

Disposing of old prescription medication can present a dilemma because experts advise that flushing drugs in toilets or tossing them in the trash can lead to environmental problems.

“Once you throw it down the toilet, it doesn’t just stay there. It gets out into our rivers and our aquifers and our public water. And the other half is if it gets in the soil too and then if you grow things it can actually get into some of those areas,” said Dr. David Grossman, Lucas County Health commissioner.

Dr. Grossman said the public can bring medication to the lobby of the health department downtown, and the process is anonymous.

He said another concern is getting narcotics out of homes. Thieves have turned to rummaging through trash cans of homes where there is an elderly or sick person looking for drugs.

“One of the big concerns we saw at the last take back day was family and friends of patients who were recently in hospice and had passed away. So they’ve got pretty large quantities of narcotics, things like liquid morphine that are so dangerous that if a child got a hold of it, just a little bit would be enough to stop their breathing and kill the child,” said Andrew Schneider, a University of Toledo Pharmacy student who is helping to coordinate the take back day.

Mr. Schneider also said people can bring old mercury thermometers to the event and exchange them for new digital thermometers.

In addition to the health department the public can also take unused, unwanted, or expired medication to the:

● Monclova Township Fire Department, 4395 Albon Rd.

● Oregon police garage, 5330 Seaman Rd.

● Ottawa Hills Police Department, 2125 Richards Rd.

● Providence Township Fire and Rescue, 8149 Main St., Neapolis.

● Springfield Township Fire Station No. 3, 7145 Garden Rd.

● ProMedica St. Luke’s Hospital, 5901 Monclova Rd., Maumee.

● Sylvania Police Department, 6635 Maplewood Ave.

● Sylvania Township Police Deparment, 4420 King Rd.

● University of Toledo Medical Center, ER lobby, 3000 Arlington Ave. (former Medical College of Ohio).

● Waterville Fire Department, 751 Waterville-Monclova Rd.

● Whitehouse Fire Department, 10550 Waterville St.

● Washington Township Fire Department, 2469 Shoreland Ave.

Contact Marlene Harris-Taylor mtaylor@theblade.com or 419-724-6091.