NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE
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The Timmins Police Service and Porcupine Health Unit’s prescription drug drop-off event once again saw success with the collection of 48 lbs of unwanted or expired medication.
Drugs collected included opiates such as fentanyl patches, oxycodone and morphine, as well as various barbiturates and over-the-counter medication.
“Any amount of these types of medications that are removed from the public realm is considered a success for us,” said TPS Inspector Rick Blanchette. “We know how dangerous some of these prescription medications can be when they fall into the wrong hands. By residents dropping off their medications to us, it shows that the public is also aware of the public safety risks these medications pose, and the importance of disposing of medication safely.”
There are several steps that residents can take to ensure that medication is safe. Those include keeping medications stored away from plain view, in a lock box if necessary, and keeping track of all medications with a written inventory.
When filling prescriptions for narcotics, asking the doctor for a small amount rather than a large amount can also eliminate leftover or unused medication.
The public is reminded that unused, unwanted or expired medication can be returned to any pharmacy at any time.
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