Kilted Safe Medication Disposal Event

[Riverkilt]

For sure Jock! I sit on the board of our city government's Substance Abuse Task Force and when this program first went into effect in addition to the Chief of Police talking about keeping old meds out of the hands of kids and off the streets the head of the city Water Department gave an eye opening presentation on the damage ALL Rx meds and even Over the Counter meds do to the water system and how there are many chemicals in them that they can't get out...scary stuff.

[Highlander31]

Our lake sits literally next to the ocean. Understanding wells and septic systems is part of our way of life. Flushing medications down the drain doesn't happen here.

You and your town are ahead of the game, Ron. Once you have contaminants in the water system, it can be nearly impossible to clean it up. The town approximately 15 miles south of us, was founded in the 1850's. Their water system was designed for a population of 500. The last census showed the population at 1100. The system is overstressed and the crews spend 75% of their time repairing leaks. We lived there for a short time before moving out here. We had a water filter on the tap, due to there being traces of heart medications, antibiotics, pain killers, etc. in the water.

The only contamination we have to take care of now,....is what Big Foot and his buddies leave after their parties on the lake's edge.

[Antipodean Celt]

I believe Ron is in USMC Dress Blue tartan.

Thanks Geoff and Ron. An attractive tartan.

[AKScott]

+4 on not dumping your old medicines down the drain.

The hospital where I am employed, I think at the point of federal law, now has disposal boxes all over the building and significant penalties for dumping stuff down the drain. The nurses have to consult a list to see which color box a particular medicine goes into; but it does, as they say, keep it out of everyone else's water.

[Blupiper]

I work for my state's environmental regulatory agency and I will agree on this means of pharmaceutical disposal. Letting them out into the community is no good and flushing them down the sewer is a disaster. We have some very interesting data on the amount of drug traces that end up in aquatic wildlife. Everything from birth control hormones to prescription drugs to caffeine (!) appear in the systems of the critters who live in the water. "Out of sight, out of mind" isn't the end of it. Turn-in events are the way to go.

JMB

[Malcolmcog]

Sad a society has to rely on artificial stimulants. Is this common in the USA ?

[Kalok Sundancer]

Sad a society has to rely on artificial stimulants. Is this common in the USA ?

Unfortunately, it is. What used to be "regulated" by discipline and self-discipline there's now "a pill for" for them to put you on.

[Chainsaw02]

Malcolmcog,

I do not want to get into a debate about this but considering the amount of stimulant medication dispensed here in the USA, all the way from Viagra to Oxycodone one could come to that conclusion. I live in the US so I certainly can't speak about else in the world.

Larry Dirr

[Riverkilt]

Huh? Stimulants??? Though I didn't use them the pills I took the collection box were narcotics for pain...I had bladder stones and the surgeon went up the only access point he had, busted up the stones inside me, then I had to pass them out...not a lot of fun...for sure a lot of blood. Turned out I was able to do all that without the narcotics (thank you USMC). The other pills were to counteract nausea from the antithetic used in the operation and the voiding process described...didn't need then either.... no "stimulants" involved here. I don't even do caffeine.

[Chainsaw02]

Completely understand Ron. My response was to Malcolmcog's post. Due to various injuries in the past my pain tolerance is fairly high thus I rarely use prescribed pain meds. You are right on target with the disposal system.

Larry Dirr