Tuscarawas County set to hold 'Drug Take Back' day

Tuscarawas County will provide residents with three drop-off locations for unwanted medications as part of a national “Drug Takeback Event” scheduled Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Drug Take Back Day offers a safe and confidential method to dispose of those old and unwanted medications, so they don’t fall into the wrong hands or pollute the water supply.

Anybody wishing to safely dispose of prescription or non-prescription medications may bring those items to the Main Entrance at Trinity Hospital Twin City in Dennison, to the South Entrance of Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital at Dover (just off the Boulevard) and to Mercy Health Center of Tuscarawas County off W. High Ave. in New Philadelphia. Expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications should not be left sitting in your medicine cabinet or kitchen drawer.

A deputy from the Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office will be at each hospital, and a trooper from the Ohio Highway Patrol will be at the Mercy Health Center to accept the medications for proper disposal. The “Drug Take Back Day” program is completely anonymous, and no name or ID will be requested. Medication containers should be placed in a transparent plastic bag. Those in their original prescription bottles may have the patient’s name on the label blacked out if desired.

Officials at each location will not accept for disposal any needles, liquids or any peroxide-based medications at this event. “Drug Take Back Day” can help keep potentially dangerous medications out of the hands of children and reduce drug abuse and theft of drugs from homes.

Disposal of unwanted medications in this manner also will protect the environment by keeping powerful drugs out of the sewer systems and groundwater. Drug Take Back Day is a cooperative effort involving the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Recycling District, the Anti-Drug Coalition of Tuscarawas County, the Tuscarawas County Opiate Task Force, the Ohio Highway Patrol and three drop-off locations.

In addition to the “Drug Take Back Day” event, outdated and unwanted medications may be taken any time of the day or night to the lobby of the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office at 2295 Reiser Ave. SE in New Philadelphia, and to other area police departments. For more information, call (330) 339-2000.