Health Department Offers Free Medication Disposal to Help Prevent Drug Overdoses

The Cleveland County Health Department is taking action to address the rising drug overdose deaths and emergency department visits in the county by providing free resources to help prevent medication misuse and abuse. According to data from NCDHHS, Cleveland County saw 36 overdose deaths in 2022 and 241 overdose ED visits in 2023, with almost 40% of these visits related to commonly prescribed opioids. This highlights the urgent need for tools to prevent prescription opioid misuse.

To address this issue, the Cleveland County Health Department is offering Deterra pouches and medicine lock boxes free of charge to local households. These resources can help prevent medication misuse, accidental ingestion, and environmental harm by promoting safe storage and disposal of unused or expired medications. By providing these tools, the health department aims to prevent substance misuse before it even begins, particularly as dependence on prescription opioids can often start in the home medicine cabinet.

Deterra medication disposal kits are highly effective in rendering drugs inactive and unavailable for misuse, while also being safe for the environment. The three-step process of deactivating drugs in a Deterra Pouch with water and then disposing of them in the household garbage helps prevent harmful chemicals from entering landfills and water supplies. Additionally, medicine lock boxes are available as part of the Lock Your Meds national campaign to reduce prescription drug misuse through safe home storage.

Community members interested in obtaining a free Deterra medication disposal kit or medicine lock box can pick them up at the Cleveland County Health Department on S. Post Road in Shelby during regular business hours. For more information or to request these resources for your home or business, contact Carmen Barbuto, Drug Free Communities Grant Coordinator, at carmen.barbuto@clevelandcountync.gov or 980-484-5335. These free resources are essential in addressing the opioid crisis and promoting the safe use of prescription medications in Cleveland County.