Covenant HealthCare, in collaboration with Saginaw County Health Department - SCHD, Saginaw Police Department, Saginaw Spirit, Hope Not Handcuffs and Bay County Sheriff's Office will host a Medication Take Back event Saturday, April 27, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm outside 800 Cooper, Saginaw (Covenant Professional Office Building) and 2919 E. Wilder Rd, Bay City (Covenant MedExpress). This allows community members to drive-thru and drop off unwanted or unused prescription medications, including pills and capsules (no liquid filled), patches, pet medications, and expired or unwanted prescriptions (including controlled substances). However, no needles, syringes, inhalers, lancets or liquids will be accepted. Here’s what you can do to help. Bring your own unused medications and tell a friend. Spread the word in your community.
Community members are encouraged to bring unused medications, and tell friends and family to do the same.
According to Michigan OPEN, 115 people die each day in the US from opioid-related overdoses – that is more than the number of people killed in car accidents or by guns. Opioids are often involved in accidental poisonings and intentional misuse.
• Every 10 minutes a child visits the emergency room for medication poisoning
• 12.5 million people age 12 and older misused opioids in the last year
• Three in five teens say prescription pain medication is easy to get from their parents’ medicine cabinet
Given these statistics, it is recommend to dispose of unused opioids and medications as soon as possible.
