Dump the drugs
Payson, Arizona (November 3, 2010) – A “Dump the Drugs” event will be held on Saturday, November 6 at the 12th Annual Community Health and Care Fair from 8 a.m. to Noon at Payson High School “old” gym. The event gives community members a chance to safely dispose of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication. The “Dump the Drugs” program will help keep potentially dangerous drugs out of the hands of our teens and out of our waters.
The FDA reports a 73% increase in emergency room visits from 2004 to 2008 for over-the-counter DXM cough medicine abuse. In fact, the FDA is exploring restrictions on the sale of these products to help counteract growing abuse by children. In a 2006 study done by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, about 1 in 5 teens have tried prescription drug painkillers. Teenagers are not getting the second-most abused drugs from dealers on the street. They are getting them from mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, out of their medicine cabinets
“Do Fish get Back Pain?” Flushing medicines down the drain can result in the contamination of our lakes, rivers and streams. Simply bring drugs which are outdated, and or not being used to the Community Health Fair where they will be placed in a special container and safely disposed of. It is recommended that names be removed from medication containers before disposing of them. The drugs can be dropped off in their original containers or dumped in plastic bags.
Needles and other sharp objects will not be accepted.
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Payson Regional Medical Center is a 44-bed acute care hospital serving Payson and the communities along the Rim Country. In 2010, PRMC was recognized for the second time in four years as one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals in the nation by Thomson Reuters, an independent business information and research firm. The hospital provides a full emergency department, surgery, diagnostic imaging, birthing center, clinical offices and other health care specialties. For more information about PRMC or to find a physician, go to www.paysonhospital.com.