National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events will be held at four Kenosha County locations Saturday, Oct. 28, County Executive Samantha Kerkman announced today.
The events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at these sites:
- Probation and Parole Office, 1212 60th St., Kenosha
- The Kenosha County Center at highways 45 and 50 in Bristol (enter off Highway 50 on the southeast side of the building)
- Pleasant Prairie Police Department, 8600 Green Bay Road
- Somers Fire & Rescue Department, 7511 12th St.
In addition to a convenient place to safely dispose of unneeded medications, the events will offer people the opportunity to receive training and free supplies of the overdose-reversing medication Narcan as well as Fentanyl test strips.
Kenosha County Behavioral Health staff will also be at all locations, providing information about other resources and services available in the community.
“Prescription drug abuse prevention happens inside of our own homes, by cleaning out our medicine cabinets,” Kerkman said. “Safely disposing of your unneeded medications and getting trained on Narcan are ways you can be a part of the solution to the overdose epidemic.”
Narcan training teaches people to recognize symptoms of an opioid overdose and how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug. More information about the Narcan distribution program in Kenosha County is available at https://NarcanTrainedKenosha.com.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a day of recognition held twice annually that aims to provide a safe, convenient, responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Items acceptable for collection at the local events include prescription (controlled and noncontrolled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol spray dispensers, creams, vials, and pet medications.
Unacceptable items include illegal drugs, needles/sharps, acids, aerosol cans, biohazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), personal care products, (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas), and mercury thermometers.
Locally, the events are organized in a partnership between the Kenosha County Sheriff’s, Kenosha Police and Pleasant Prairie Police departments; the Somers Fire & Rescue Department; the Kenosha County Division of Aging, Disability and Behavioral Health Services; and the host venues.
“The community’s participation in our Drug Take Back Day efforts are a simple, effective and a safe way to dispose of medication that is no longer needed in your home,” said Pleasant Prairie Police Chief David Smetana. “These popular drug disposal events keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands and out of our environment.”