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May 9, 2008 5:59 pm US/Eastern
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Town Urges Medicine Cabinet Clean-Out
Winchester Launches Prescription Drug Take-Back Program
WINCHESTER (WBZ) ―
One local town is encouraging people to comb through their medicine cabinets and turn in old prescription drugs. The aim of Winchester's Medication Take Back program is to keep the drugs out of the water supply, out of landfills, and out of the hands of young people who may abuse them.
"Unfortunately, we're seeing more young people go down a path that's difficult to come back from," said Liz Silva with the Substance Abuse Coalition.
Drug experimentation is a destructive path that often begins in a medicine cabinet at home. It's a path that ends with addiction and sometimes death. In Winchester police are seeing teens experimenting with prescription drugs like oxycodone.
"When our young people take it they grind it or snort it so it gets directly into their system," said Sgt. Dan Perenick with the Winchester Police Department. "We've seen the abuse of prescription medication skyrocketing. Our young people are abusing it because it's accessible."
"Having 30 of them in your medicine cabinet is very attractive for someone to take from a home," said Silva.
That's one reason why Silva and the Winchester Substance Abuse Coalition have teamed up with police for a medication take back.
They're asking parents to go to their medicine cabinets and see what can be sorted through. They then want them to take any unused medication to the Winchester transfer station on Saturday.
Police say prescription pills are being abused, stolen from homes and there's even an environmental impact.
Medications and drugs thrown in the toilet or down the drain can seep into the groundwater and soil and harm the environment.
"We found a bunch of articles from environmental groups that started noticing changes in the aquatic life based solely on the medications in water and soil," Silva said.
So don't flush or pour and don't leave the temptation of these dangerous drugs behind.
Police said they incinerate the dangerous drugs to safely dispose of them.
People are encouraging people to use a permanent marker to cross out their names and addresses on prescription bottles before bring them to the collection.
The collection is taking place Saturday, May 10 from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m. at the Sons of Italy parking lot, 117 Swanton Street.
What they are accepting:
-All prescription drugs
-Non-prescription medicine
-Herbal products
-Vitamins and mineral supplements
-Throat lozenges
What is not accepted:
-Cosmetics, antiperspirants, antiseptic and medicated skin care products
-Hard surface and toilet disinfectant cleaners
-Contact lens disinfectants
-Sunburn protection
-Mouthwash, toothpaste
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