The Owen Sound Police Service, Owen Sound Attack hockey team, and the Grey Bruce Health Unit are encouraging community members to clean out their medicine cabinets. Residents are invited to drop off old or unused prescription and over-the-counter medication at the Owen Sound I.D.A. Pharmacy at 6-810 10th Street West.
Everyone who safely disposes their medication at the Owen Sound I.D.A. Pharmacy from Saturday October 5 to Friday October 11th will receive a voucher for a free ticket to any Wednesday evening Owen Sound Attack regular season game (while supplies last).
This program supports awareness of Medication Misuse and promotes the proper disposal of medication to reduce the amount of unused/expired medication circulating in the community and beyond. Unused medication, especially opioid pain relievers, should always be returned to a pharmacy for proper disposal.
The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of 2017 shows that 1 in 10 students in Grades 7 to 12 have used a prescription opioid pain reliever for non-medical purposes in the past year. Common examples of opioid pain relievers are Percocet, Percodan, Tylenol 3, Demerol and Codeine. While 55% of the teens who indicated that they misuse prescription opioids said they had took the medication from a parent, sibling or someone else they live with. The non-medicinal use of over-the-counter cough and cold medicine by students in grades 7 to 12 has increased from 6.4% in 2015 to 9.2% in 2017.
Medications cannot be returned in vials or blister packs and must be emptied into the paper bags provided when returned.
source: media release, Public Health
