Safe place to dispose of prescription medications
The opioid crisis has created additional concerns with where and how to dispose of prescription drugs properly.
Thanks to assistance from SEMO Behavioral Health Prevention Specialist Josh Tomlin and CVS Pharmacy, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department now has a drug drop-off box located in its lobby at 124 N. Main St.
Sheriff Katy McCutcheon said the box allows people to stop in and safely dispose of their unneeded, unwanted and expired prescription medications without any questions asked.
“The community needed a disposal site and now they have one that is safe and secure,” McCutcheon said. “A big concern is people flushing old prescriptions down the toilet. This could cause the drugs to eventually end up in our water supply.”
McCutcheon said throwing them away or leaving them sitting around the house also raises concerns about if they will end up in the wrong hands.
“To children pills can look like candy, and they could accidentally ingest them if they were to get the bottle open,” McCutcheon said. “Removing unneeded pills from the home helps prevent accidents.”
McCutcheon said it is common for officers to confiscate drugs off the street and find out the person who is in possession of them is not the person to whom they were prescribed.
Drugs dropped off at the box will be held by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and disposed of during one of the bi-annual drug take back programs put on by the state every year.
McCutcheon said she is happy to see this become available for the community and thanks Tomlin and CVS for making it possible.
Drugs accepted at the location include prescriptions, patches, over the counter medications, vitamins, samples and pet medications. Items such as needles, inhalers, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans and liquids are not accepted.
This Drug Drop-Box is located at the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, 124 N. Main St.
Victoria Kemper is a reporter for the Democrat News. She can be reached at 573-783-3366 or at vkemper@democratnewsonline.com
