Marion County residents had a chance to clean out their medicine cabinets of old and unused prescription medication and dispose of it properly at the sixth Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26, 2013. The day resulted in the collection of 184 pounds of pill and an additional 273 pounds of liquid/cream medications from 182 cars that passed through.
Each year organizers take note of the oldest and most unusual item in the collection. This year that designation went to a box of rectal opiate medication.
The Drug Take Back Day locally is a collaborative effort among Marion County Recycling and Litter Prevention, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion General Hospital, and the Crawford-Marion ADAMH Board.
Major Aaron Corwin of the Sherriff’s Office reported that there were five bags of pills, three bags of liquids/creams and three large sharps containers full of needles and syringes collected Saturday. The amount of medications turned in represented 24% of the 766 pounds of medication collected by the entire METRICH Enforcement Unit.
Angela Carbetta, Marion County Recycling and Litter Prevention Director, noted that a wide range of items were turned in including liquids, syringes and needles, pills, medicated gel and patches. Of significant note is the collection of 120 bottles of opiate based prescriptions and 42 other scheduled drugs like Xanax and Ritalin – both highly abused medications.
“Outdated and unused medication poses a danger in your home, and when improperly discarded, contaminates our soil and water supplies with a dangerous blend of chemicals,” Carbetta stated. We are happy that people took the time to clean out their medicine cabinets and dispose of items properly.”
Saturday’s collection took place in the parking lot of the Marion County Building under cold and grey skies. Law enforcement officers from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office collected the medication while the ADAMH board and Marion General Hospital distributed educational material to those bringing in medications and counted the items collected. All medicine will be sent to a waste facility for secure incineration.
“This event is an important way to remind people that they can dispose of medication safely,” stated Major Corwin. “We also want everyone to know we have permanent medication collection boxes at the Sheriff’s Office and the Marion City Police Office. They are available 365 days a year for people to drop off unused prescription pills.”
Corwin further stated that prescription medications represent a significant drug threats in the community, along with heroin, cocaine and other substances. Opiate based medication like oxycodone is highly abused.
Jody Demo-Hodgins of the ADAMH board said that on average 6 people die every day in Ohio from opiate based drug overdose. In Marion County in 2012, there were 16 opiate related overdose deaths.
“In the last two quarterly reports from the Ohio Rx Reporting System, Marion was one of only three counties in Ohio that saw an increase in opiate medication prescribed,” Demo-Hodgins noted.
She and Major Corwin both said that drug diversion represents the primary way that people who abuse prescription pain medication get their drugs, so take back events are important. In fact, 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtain the drugs from friends or relatives, sometimes with permission. This is considered drug diversion and contributes to a growing health and safety problem.
In 2012, there were enough opiate based prescriptions filled in Marion County to give every man, woman and child 76 pills.
“Often, people think of heroin when they think of opiates. When having a prescription drug drop we can remind them that codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and fentanyl are also opiate based,” said Demo-Hodgins. “They are highly effective pain relievers but very addictive.”
Carbetta and Demo-Hodgins expressed their appreciation for the involvement of MARMET and local police, sharing that the event would not be possible without them.
Also helping at the event were Marion County Commissioners, Ken Stiverson and Andy Appelfeller who spent much of the day at the event helping with literature distribution, recycling of plastic and cardboard and showing their appreciation to law enforcement and organizers.
Photos were provided by Angela Carbetta.
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