News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Prescription dropoff events planned around Michigan

Flickr user: Charles Williams
/
https://flic.kr/p/6YX7bM

It's time for perhaps the most important spring cleaning you can do -- cleaning your medicine cabinet. Amidst the ongoing opioid crisis organizations around the state are working to get unused prescription drugs out of the community.

According to a study by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services three out of five teenagers say prescription pain relievers are easily attainable from a parent's medicine cabinet.

Organizations across the state are hosting events to raise awareness of narcotic safety and to educate people on where they  can drop off unused medications.

Dr. Fady Moustarah is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the CMU College of Medicine. He said drop off programs like this help ensure narcotics stay out of the hands of people who might use them inappropriately.

“To get a sense of the scope of the problem in our own backyard and thereby take the next step in terms of understanding and perhaps looking into better physician prescribing strategies that would reduce the amount of medication that may, for example, be contributing to an excess amount of medication being out there in the community”.

 

May 20, 2017 - Michigan Medication Take-Back Events

Ann Arbor (Flyer)

Hosted by Ann Arbor Police Department and the University of Michigan, Department of Anesthesiology

Pioneer High School

301 W. Stadium Blvd.

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

 

Escanaba

Hosted by Escanaba Public Safety and Walgreens

Walgreens on Ludington Street

2301 Ludington Street

Escanaba, MI

 

Jackson (flyer)

Hosted by Jackson Police Department and Henry Ford Health System/ Allegiance Health

Jackson Police Department

316 Washington Ave

Jackson, MI 49201

 

Pontiac

Hosted by St. Joseph Mercy Oakland and Oakland County Sheriff

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland, front lobby

44405 Woodward Avenue

Pontiac, MI

 

Saginaw

Hosted by Saginaw Township Police Department and CMU Health

Heritage High School, parking lot

3465 N. Center Rd.

Saginaw, MI 48306

 

Traverse City

Hosted by Traverse City Police Department and Munson Medical Center

Thomas Judd Care Center, in front of Center

3529 W. Front St.

Traverse City, MI 49684

 

 

On the web:
 
permanent drop off locations:
http://ihpi.umich.edu/our-work/strategic-initiatives/michigan-open/protect-your-community