Saturday is National Take Back Drug Day hosted by the Opioid Prevention Unified Services Coalition or OPUS in Ramsey County.
It's an opportunity for individuals to dispose of unwanted medication says Project Coordinator Jonessa Wisniewski.
"Prescription or not, we take Advil, Ibuprofen, old cough medicine," says Wisniewski. "And this event takes place twice a year, spring and fall. So April, usually, and October."
People can drive up and drop off anything with no questions asked.
"We meet you at your car window, if that is something that they're interested in, we take it, we dispose of it in the sharp containers, and then we partner with law enforcement where they actually bring it over to a place in Wisconsin that incinerates them," explains Wisniewski.
This event has proven to be quite successful.
"We collected over 400 pounds just this last April," she says.
The event has been taking place over the last four years and Wisniewski says there are other ways they can help individuals struggling with drugs.
"Whether you're looking for detox, whether you're looking for a treatment center, whether you're looking to get connected to a peer recovery support specialist," she adds. "So you're really there to just gather those resources so that you can provide that stepping stone for those individuals and be a supporter in their lives."
The drop off event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Cub Foods in the Midway at 1440 University Avenue W in St. Paul.
WHO: Members of the Ramsey County OPUS Coalition are working together to help the community properly dispose of unused or unwanted medication. The event will also offer sharps disposal, syringe exchange, paraphernalia take back, STI testing, and more. Experts from the addiction and recovery community, law enforcement, and medical professionals will all be on site and able to speak with you about the importance of proper disposal.
WHAT: Drug Take Back Day is a prompt to clear your home of unused or unneeded medication and sharps. Members and allies of the OPUS Coalition including Ramsey County’s Clinic 555, Recovery Café Frogtown, M Health Fairview, and students from the University of Minnesota’s School of Pharmacy will be on site offering a variety of resources. At last October’s event, the Coalition collected more than 400 pounds of medications and sharps from Ramsey County residents.
WHY: 75 percent of people who misuse prescription medication not only got them from medical professionals, but from their own friends and relatives. Proper disposal of unused prescriptions is a crucial step in reducing the misuse of these medications in our community.