Prescription Drop-off Initiatives These initiatives aim to reduce the harms associated with certain prescription drugs (e.g., opioids, sedative-hypnotics, stimulants) by:

• Promoting both the safe storage and disposal of prescription, over-the-counter and other drugs;
• Reducing the amount of these drugs available in people’s homes for possible diversion and accidental poisonings;
• Identifying unused medications to inform prescribing and dispensing practices;
• Reducing the environmental impact associated with the inappropriate disposal of these drugs in the garbage and sewer systems; and
• Increasing awareness about the safe storage and disposal of unused medication.

As many prescription drugs with a high potential for misuse come from the medicine cabinets of friends and families, the proper medical storage of these drugs can effectively reduce diversion (National Advisory Committee on Prescription Drug Misuse, 2013).

Why Prescription Drop-off Initiatives Are Important

A large portion of medications remain unused.

• Unused drugs and inappropriately stored drugs can be used by people other than those for whom they were intended.
• PDoIs can serve as a collection and disposal site for unused drugs, as well as provide a means of educating the public on their risks.
• PDols reduce environmental impacts by intercepting unused drugs before they reach landfills and waterways. These initiatives constitute the only environmentally-sound way to dispose of unused drugs (Stoddard & Hugett, 2012; Gray & Hagemeir, 2012).
• Many PDoIs seek to improve healthcare practices by providing data on the types of drugs collected to reduce over prescribing and dispensing of drugs that result in the most pharmaceutical waste (Gray-Winnett et al., 2010; Stoddard & Huggett, 2012) and have been associated with prescription drug misuse (PDM).

 Nova Scotia Drop off Locations May 10/2014 10am to 2pm

Amherst

Old Amherst town hall. 5 Ratchford Street

Annapolis Valley

Kentville Firehall

Berwick Firehall

Kingston FireHall

Wolfville Elm Ave

Bible Hill

MacQuarries Pharmasave, 241 Pictou Rd

 Bridgewater

Bridgewater Mall

Bridgetown

Pharmasave, 264 Granville St.

Cape Breton Region: Will have multiple sites through participating pharmacies

Central Division – 16

East Division – 9

North Division – 6

Chester

Chester Pharmasave, 3785 Hwy 3

Digby

Shoppers Drug Mart, 95 Warwick St.

Enfield

Enfield Pharmachoice, 284 Hwy 2

Halifax Region

Lower Sackville RCMP Detachment, 711 Sackville Rd.

MicMac Mall at the Police Week Displays inside the mall (adjacent to the Bay Department store).

Kingston

Kingston Fire Hall, 570 Sparky St.

Lunenburg

Lunenburg Kinley’s Drug Store, 264 Lincoln St.

Middleton

Middleton Pharmasave, 26 Commercial St.

Millbrook

Lawtons Drugs, 316 Willow St.

Pictou Landing

Pictou Landing Health Centre, 19 Maple St.

Pugwash

O’Brien’s Pharmachoice, 98 Water St.

Stellarton,  Westville, and  New Glasgow

Lawton’s Drugs 810 East River Road, New Glasgow

Shubenacadie

Guardian Drugs, 2815 Main St.

Tatamagouche

C.G. Fulton Pharmacy, 255 Main St.

Truro

Truro Police Service Headquarters

Wagmatcook

Wagmatcook Health Centre, 47 Humes Rear Rd.

Whycocomagh

Waycobah Health Centre, 150 Reservation Rd.

Yarmouth

Rural Detachment, RCMP Satellite Office, 328-1A Main St.