Overdose-related deaths are on the rise in Mississippi—and all too often, the cause can be found in household medicine cabinets.
That’s why Mississippians are urged to safely dispose of unneeded medications by participating in the 23 rd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 29.
In Oxford, residents can bring their unused prescriptions to the Oxford Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Molly Barr Road.
The medications will be safely disposed of in a MedReturn lockbox.
Unused prescriptions can also be taken to CVS and Walgreens in Oxford.
Unused medications should never be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet as they can pollute water and unintentionally expose others to the chemicals in these medications.
“Overdose deaths continue to hit tragic record highs, but we can take action to prevent drugs from being misused by safely disposing of unneeded medications,” said Jan Dawson, program director, of Mississippi Public Health Institute. “We’re asking Mississippians to locate a disposal site in their community and drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications as soon as possible.”
Overdoses are now the leading cause of death among U.S. adults 18-45. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 106,000 people died in the U.S. as a result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, with opioid-related deaths accounting for 75% of all overdose deaths.
A report from the Mississippi Opioid and Heroin Data Collaborative showed that drug overdose deaths in Mississippi rose by 49% in one year (2019-2020).
Most people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
With the passage of the DUMP Opioids Act in 2021, the public may now use drop boxes at Veterans Administration medical centers to dispose of controlled substance prescription medications. Check with your local VA health facility for more information.
Staff report
