Local Health Department to host National Drug Take Back Day

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department is hosting its Drug Take Back Day tomorrow.

If you have any unused or expired medication, this is the perfect time to come and properly dispose of them. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Health Department will be having a drive-thru drop off where they will be accepting any prescriptions, over the counter tablets, capsules and liquid dosages, as well as injectables and needles. Muskingum Behavioral Health is one of six businesses partnering in the event.

“We want to get the controlled substances out of people’s homes so they don’t accidentally or intentionally end up on the street. We want to get the sharps taken care of because we don’t want people, the needles going into the trash or disappearing for folks,” Muskingum Behavioral Health CEO Steve Carrel said. 

Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe way of disposing prescription drugs. Many people flush pills down the toilet because of its convenience, however it affects the environment.

“We’re starting to drink those chemicals. There are some areas that you’re starting, you’re having detectable levels of some medications. If that medication wasn’t for you, you really don’t want to be consuming it so we don’t ultimately want it in our drinking water,” Carrel said. 

Personal information will be removed and containers will be destroyed. The DEA will pick up the pill boxes and the sharps will be taken to Genesis to be incinerated. Carrel said it’s an efficient event and all people have to do is hand them the items and they will dispose them in the correct bin. 

A deputy will be on duty and members from Muskingum Behavioral Health, Genesis Healthcare, Northside Pharmacies and the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department will be there.