Take Back unwanted prescription drugs Oct. 12

Carrington, N.D. – Foster County Public Health is teaming up with Carrington Police Department and Foster County Sheriff’s Office to Take Back unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications to the event which will be held at Foster County Public Health on Wednesday, October 12 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. in conjunction with the monthly evening clinic when immunizations are available.

Foster County Public Health is located at 881 Main Street in Carrington. Foster County law enforcement officials will be on site. The goal of the event is to have many pounds of medications to destroy at the end of the day. It is open to all Foster County residents.

Disposal of unused or unwanted medications is an important environmental issue in North Dakota. These products include a wide variety of items such as:

• Over-the-counter and prescription medications (high blood pressure meds)

• Controlled substances (such as pain pills, pain patches)

• Pet medications (often similar or identical to those prescribed to people)

• Livestock or equine medications (such as LA-200)

Waste materials can be in the form of solid pills and capsules, creams, liquids, skin patches or aerosols. Improper disposal of medications by dumping, pouring, or flushing can cause them to enter surface waters where they can trigger adverse environmental impacts, including endocrine disruption in aquatic life.

If not disposed of properly, such products can also pose a threat to human health by creating the risk of unintentional overdose or illegal abuse. The North Dakota Department of Health - Division of Waste Management has developed guidelines for properly managing and disposing of unused or unwanted pharmaceuticals. Please visit https://deq.nd.gov/WM/MedicationPharmaceuticalWaste/ for more information

Foster County Public Health is promoting National Prescription Take Back Day later in October. This event will give the public another opportunity to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

If the public is unable to stop by on October 12, Foster County has three Take Back locations at Carrington Police Department, Carrington Drug and Central Pharmacy. Please note that you can bring in your medications to these locations any other time throughout the year as well. The collection bins are privacy secured to maintain your confidentiality.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Just under half of people aged 12 and older who misused pain relievers obtained them from a friend or relative, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Overdose deaths in North Dakota increased from 115 deaths in 2020 to 131 deaths in 2021 (North Dakota Department of Health’s Violent Death Reporting System, preliminary data).

By utilizing this upcoming Take Back event or any of the area Take Back locations, you are keeping yourself, the environment, and those around you safe. Contact Foster County Public Health for more information at 701-652-3087.

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