Northeast Ohioans have several options for disposing of unused or expired medications this weekend as part of a national effort to prevent drug misuse.
University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic are offering several drop-off locations on their campuses on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., no questions asked. And the Medina County Health Department is during the same timeframe at its Ledgewood Drive location.
The initiative is part of National Drug Take Back Day, held twice each year to promote the disposal of unused and expired medications. Community groups and law enforcement agencies across the country are participating, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which lists 4,200 locations on its , searchable by location.
Safely disposing of medications is crucial to prevent others from misusing drugs either intentionally or unintentionally, said Matthew Soder, executive director for community and specialty pharmacy at Cleveland Clinic.
鈥淚 think most of us, if we went into our closets and cabinets (we鈥檇 find) quite a few (medications) have expired,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hose expired medications create potential for things like misuse, or safety issues where kids or other individuals might get ahold of a medication that may not be safe for them.鈥�
While many medications are accepted, Soder said some are excluded, such as Schedule 1 and other illicit drugs, sharps and needles, and aerosols.
鈥淭here's information on the kiosks telling you what you can and cannot dispose of within them,鈥� Soder said.
Residents can safely dispose of unused medications anytime by going to designated locations such as drug stores or local police stations. MetroHealth also offers year-round drug-disposal boxes in Cleveland Heights and Parma.
In addition to drug disposal, several hospitals in the UH system will offer free health screenings on Saturday: UH Ahuja Medical Center, UH Lake West, UH Portage, and UH TriPoint. The locations will offer free Narcan kits and fentanyl testing strips, according to a press release.
