This past weekend, Galionites helped to make north central Ohio safer when they turned in 28 pounds of unused and expired medications during the latest National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The Galion Police Department collected the medications as part of a regional effort coordinated through the METRICH Enforcement Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Across the ten-counties in the METRICH region, participating law enforcement agencies collected more than 1,179 pounds of unwanted medications.
Crawford County Adds 109 Pounds To Regional Total
In Crawford County, there were two participating police departments which collected a combined 109 pounds of medications. The Bucyrus Police Department reported 81 pounds. Together, the two communities accounted for approximately 9.2% of the regional total.
Although Galion’s collection was smaller than Bucyrus’s, the 28 pounds nevertheless represented medications removed from local households where they might otherwise have remained unused, been improperly discarded, or fallen into the wrong hands.
A Simple Way To Reduce Risks
National Prescription Drug Take Back events give residents an opportunity to dispose of medications they no longer need without placing them in household trash or flushing them. Unused prescription medications can pose risks when left in medicine cabinets, particularly in households with children or individuals who might misuse them. Proper disposal also helps reduce the potential for accidental poisoning and prescription drug diversion.
The goal of the day is to make safe disposal convenient while encouraging residents to periodically review medications stored in their homes.
A Regional Partnership
As noted above, the collection effort involved law enforcement agencies throughout the METRICH region, along with several community partners. In Richland County, participating organizations included the Mansfield Division of Police, Lexington Police Department, Community Action for Capable Youth, Richland County Solid Waste Authority, Richland Public Health, and the Richland County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board.
METRICH is a ten-county decentralized law enforcement task force serving north central Ohio. Its mission focuses on reducing the availability of illegal drugs and weapons through coordinated enforcement and cooperation among participating agencies. Galion routinely benefits from coordinated efforts run by the consortium.