Ascension Genesys drug prevention program helps dispose old or unused medications

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a child is taken to the emergency room every 10 minutes in the United States due to accidental medication exposure. “We want to prevent these cases. It’s one of the many reasons why Ascension Genesys Hospital, in Grand Blanc, MI, hosts a Drug Take Back Day,” said Melissa Murphy, PharmD, BCPS, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Drug Use Policy and Education for Ascension Genesys Hospital.

Created by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2010, the Drug Take Back Day serves as a protection mechanism for patients, families and the community. The sharing of prescribed drugs in our community is huge and fatal. Decreasing the available community supply can prevent misuse and accidental overdose.

At the Drug Take Back event, you can walk up in a safe space and dispose of unneeded drugs, it provides an avenue to discuss safe storage and disposal of medications. “I strongly believe hosting an outdoor Drug Take Back event works best. The convenience of driving up and rolling down your window increases accessibility for those who may have physical difficulty with parking a car and entering a building. It is also more appealing to those who aren’t comfortable going to a police station,” said Murphy. 

According to a Journal of the American Medical Association surgery research study, 42% to 71% of opioid pills prescribed after a surgery for pain management are unused. They are often easily accessible in cupboards or medicine cabinets without a secure lock in homes. This can sometimes be the starting path for patients who suffer from a substance use disorder. Different studies show that three out of four people who use heroin started with prescription medications and three out five teenagers say it’s “easy” to get medications from their parents' cabinets. ). 

Improper medication disposal has a negative impact on our environment and wildlife as well as members in our household. “Many are aware of the impact of pills getting into our water, but we don't think about how improper disposal of medication can affect our wildlife. Pills thrown in the trash might be found by pets or other animals rummaging through garbage bags looking for food or by birds at a landfill. They'll eat anything that looks edible,” said Murphy.

“The nice thing about Drug Take Back Days is that they are meant for each and every member of the community who has unused medications that need to be disposed of in a safe manner,” said Murphy. 

The Ascension Genesys Drug Take Back Day event provides drug disposal kits that can be shared with friends and family members that may not be in attendance, so that they might properly dispose of their medication. The kit contains an activated charcoal substance when, mixed with water, deactivates the medication making it useless. Attendees can also obtain postage-free envelopes to mail medications to a facility to be burned.

Educating the community on the dangers of medication misuse is important and aligns with Ascension Genesys Hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment objectives to address addiction. A Drug Take Back Day event is just one of several strategies the hospital has implemented in partnership with local agencies and other area health systems to address the opioid epidemic and other emerging substance use.

In Michigan, interested groups can contact the Michigan OPEN (Overdose Prevention Engagement Network) for an informative event hosting guide, or to find out about local events that are planned in your area that may be seeking volunteers. 

“When we decrease the availability of drugs in our home and our community we’re protecting our family, friends and neighbors from misuse and accidental overdose. We quite literally can save the lives of those we cherish,” said Murphy.

For a complete listing of sites across the country or how to organization a Drug Take Back Day in your community, visit the United States Drug Enforcement Agency Take Back Day website at https://www.dea.gov/takebackday