HAPPENING TODAY: Drop off your unused medications ahead of Drug Take Back Day

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - You can drop off your unused medications early at an event happening Thursday.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center is hosting a medication disposal event on Thursday, Oct. 24, just two days ahead of National Drug Take-Back Day.

“We want to properly dispose of so they don’t end up in our water supply and our soil," said Lisa Edgerton with NHRMC. "We also want to properly dispose of these medications so they don’t get in the hands of people we do not intend which would be teenagers or other people that may be in your homes. So anything that is unused and unwanted, you need to remove from your home.”

You can drop off over-the-counter medications, prescriptions, and even syringes from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at NHRMC Rehabilitation Hospital located at 2131 S. 17th Street. It’s also a chance to ask questions.

“We’ve got pharmacists here and other volunteer staff from our pharmacy department that we can talk to you about your medications and give you some resources about opioids, which is really why we started these efforts. It’s to take back opioids from people’s homes that are no longer in use so we’ll be glad to come out and talk to you and answer some questions.”

Lieutenant Jerry Brewer noted the importance of events like Drug Take Back Day, explaining that "we’re really fortunate to have this drop off location, this is a first step for people to get that medication out of their homes which, in some ways, is causing, or helping this opioid crisis that we’re in.”

There are 19 drug take-back events happening in the Cape Fear Saturday. Click here to learn more.

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