Printer Friendly Version - Guilford’s Medication Take Back Day Returns April 27

While the purple flags around town, on the green, and at the high school are some of the most obvious effects of DAY Week—also known as Project Purple Week—which runs from April 27 to Friday, May 3, organizers are also stressing the importance of Medication Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27.Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

It’s a potentially life-saving spring cleaning: For the fifth year in a row, Guilford legislators and community leaders are asking residents to go through their medicine cabinets and drop off all old or unused medications at the Guilford Police Department on Saturday, April 27, for Medication Take Back Day.

Organized by State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98), Guilford DAY (Developmental Assets for Youth), local pharmacists, and the Guilford Police Department, the event is designed to raise awareness and encourage residents to clean out their medicine cabinets. In a country in the midst of a significant opioid epidemic, Scanlon said something as small as removing unused prescription drugs from the house is a simple but critically important action.

“Four in five new heroin users begin with misusing prescription drugs, 50 percent of which they get from family members or friends who had legitimate prescriptions,” he said. “Cleaning out your medicine cabinet can truly save a life and we urge you to come down on April 27 or any day, 365 days a year, and utilize our confidential drop box.”

The medication drop box is anonymous and located in the Guilford Police Department at 400 Church Street. The box is there every day, all year long. All medication deposited in the box is incinerated.

“The first year we collected 60 pounds worth of drugs and it’s gone down each year since then, which is, hopefully, a sign that people are cleaning them out more regularly given our five-year campaign,” said Scanlon.

DAY prevention coordinator Robyn Sneider said this year the organization is also looking to reach residents at the source of the medication, not just years later.

“This year, for the first time, we are excited to partner with the health care and pharmaceutical sectors in our community to decrease the risk of medications getting in the wrong hands,” she said. “Big Y Pharmacy in Guilford and North Branford have stepped up by attaching information we provided on safe storage and disposal of medications to every prescription they fill. Guilford Pediatrics and Branford Pediatrics & Allergy have also agreed to display flyers for every parent and child to see. These doctors all met with us during their lunch hour to discuss substance use. We hope to set up similar meetings with orthopedic doctors and oral surgeons.”

Sneider said DAY is also reaching out to seniors and letting people know about safe ways to store or dispose of their medications at home through lock boxes and biodegradable pouches. Scanlon said letting people know about the drop box or other safe disposal options is important to help keep the community safe.

“The first year we did this a woman walked in with a huge box and as she put each pill bottle in, she said ,’This was my son’s wisdom teeth surgery’ or ‘This was my daughter’s soccer injury’ and I said to her ‘What year are your kids at GHS?’ and she said, ‘Oh, my kids graduated 10 years ago,’” he said. “That story has always stuck with me because it underscores how long people keep these drugs without even realizing it and why our campaign to clean out Guilford’s medicine cabinets is so important.”

The Medication Take Back Day on April 27 also lines up with the start of DAY Week—also known as Project Purple Week—a week of activities and awareness recognizing the choice to be substance free and which runs from April 27 to Friday, May 3.

DAY Week is back for a fourth year, building upon the momentum started in 2015 when DAY brought former NBA player Chris Herren to town with Project Purple, an initiative designed to encourage students and parents to stand up to substance abuse. Throughout the week, students of all ages will engage in educational activities, focused on living substance free, but also the idea of overall healthy living and kindness. The week concludes with the Lifelinx Color Run on Saturday, May 4.

“This year, the race will be chip timed and is dedicated to Lisa Deane’s son, Joe, who sadly passed away from an overdose in December,” said Sneider. “Lisa is from Madison and has become an activist with her own non-profit called ‘Demand Zero.’”