Dozens of area residents stopped by the Wake Forest Town Hall on Saturday to safely dispose of their unused or old prescription and over-the-counter medications as part of Operation Medicine Drop.
Scheduled on the eve of National Poison Prevention Week (March 16-22), Saturday’s four-hour disposal event resulted in over 37,500 total dosage units of medication being collected, including 3,521 controlled substances, 18,747 prescription medications, and 15,278 over-the-counter and veterinarian medications. A dosage unit is defined as one pill, one suppository or one ounce of ointment or cream.
Operation Medicine Drop is designed to prevent accidental poisonings and substance abuse and protect our waters. With unintentional poisoning deaths on the rise in the state, Operation Medicine Drop reminds parents and caregivers of the following:
— Keep medicines locked up and out of reach of children.
— Always read labels, follow directions and give medicines to children based on their weights and ages. Only use the dispensers packaged with children’s medications.
— Avoid taking medicine or vitamins in front of kids, and don’t call them candy.
— If you suspect poisoning and a child is choking, collapses, can’t breathe or is having a seizure, call 911. Otherwise, take the product to the phone and call the national Poison Help hotline at 1-800-222-122.
Wake Forest’s Operation Medicine Drop was sponsored by the Wake Forest Police Department in partnership with the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Safe Kids North Carolina, and Riverkeepers of NC. The police department is planning to host another Operation Medicine Drop event later this year – most likely in late October.
For more information about Operation Medicine Drop, visit www.ncsafekids.org.
