Battlefords RCMP detachment is supporting the annual National Prescription Drug Drop-off Day Saturday.
The program is organized by Public Safety Canada, working with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of PoliceDrug Abuse Committee and other partner agencies .
The purpose of this event is to encourage Canadians to drop off their unused prescription medication to local police and community partners at specified locations to ensure its safe disposal.
The Saskatchewan RCMP urge residents to dispose of unused prescription medications and will have the following four drop-off locations May 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm:
Battlefords are residents who wish to participate in the dropping off of prescription medications, are asked to go to their local pharmacy, who will accept them for safe disposal.
Saskatchewan has a formal province-wide medication return program called the Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal program, which allows consumers to return medication to the majority of the province’s community pharmacies. Consumers may also return medication to household hazardous waste collection events that are managed by the provincial regional districts and municipalities.
According to a press release, the National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day is a pro-active approach to getting rid of unused and expired medication so it does not end up in the wrong hands, particularly those of children. In many examples of unwanted or expired medications falling into the wrong hands, such prescription medications have been abused by individuals leading to incidents of overdose and, in some cases, death.
The release states the misuse and abuse of prescription medication has become a public safety issue for communities and police services across the country, who are working together to draw attention to this public safety concern by participating in the Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day.
For more information on prescription drug return initiatives in Canada, view Public Safety’s Guide at http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/prscptn-drg-rtrn/index-eng.aspx#a3.
