Spring Cleaning? RCMP suggest adding medicine cabinets to the list, Halifax, N.S.

Nova Scotia RCMP are supporting the second National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day on Saturday, May 10th, 2014.

An initiative driven by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the

RCMP and municipal police agencies throughout the province are working in partnership with District Health Authorities and community pharmacists to coordinate more than 20 sites where people are encouraged to drop off their unused medications to police and local community partners for safe disposal.

Abuse of prescription drugs is a concern for police and reducing access to these medications by people who are not prescribed to use them is one part of addressing this public health issue.

RCMP Sergeant Keith MacKinnon explains that everyone has a role to play, ‘If you have prescription drugs in your home that are expired or no longer required then you also have the responsibility to get rid of them properly.’

‘Prescription medications are increasingly getting into the hands of young people and people who they are not intended for and this can often lead to criminal activity,’ says Sgt. MacKinnon, ‘The drugs are abused to get high and eventually it can lead to an addiction and criminal behavior such as pharmacy robberies and trafficking.’

On ‘National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day’, the RCMP is urging people to clean out their medicine cabinets and bathroom drawers to get rid of medications that are no longer being used. ‘It is often the case that people have so many unused and expired prescriptions in their home that they don’t notice them missing,’ Sgt. MacKinnon adds.

For a list of drop-off locations within RCMP jurisdiction please visit: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/index-eng.htm. For a complete list within Nova Scotia please visit: www.nschiefs.ca

*Note that the times vary depending on the location.

For more information on the proper use or disposal of medication please visit:
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-sante/medicine-medicament/disposal-defaire-eng.php

Source: Release

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