The community is invited to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off old or unused prescription and over-the-counter medication at the Rexall Pharma Plus in downtown Owen Sound from September 23 - 30. Everyone who drops off medication will receive a voucher for a free ticket, while supplies last, for any Wednesday evening Owen Sound Attack regular season game.

This Medication Misuse awareness campaign promotes the proper disposal and storage of medication and aims to reduce the amount of circulating unused/expired medication (especially opioid pain relievers). Unused medication should always be returned to a pharmacy for proper disposal. This campaign to prevent Medication Misuse is supported by Rexall Pharma Plus, the Owen Sound Attack and the Grey Bruce Health Unit.

The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (2015) shows:

· 1 in 10 students (Grade 7-12) have used a prescription opioid pain reliever (e.g. Percocet, Percodan, Tylenol 3, Demerol and codeine) for non-medical purposes in the past year;

· 6% of students have used over-the-counter cough and cold medicine to get high.

· 59% of teens who indicated they had misused prescription opioids said they took them from a parent, sibling or someone else they live with.

Medication Drop Off

Date: September 23 - 30, 2017

Location: Rexall Pharma Plus, 963 2nd Ave. E., Owen Sound, ON

Medications cannot be returned in vials or blister packs. Meds must be emptied into the paper bags provided when returned

source: media release, Grey Bruce Health Unit