BERLIN – Worcester County residents are encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets and participate in Operation Medicine Drop: Safe Communities-Healthy Waterways, a one-day drug take back effort on April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at numerous locations throughout Worcester County.
Assateague Coastal Trust/COASTKEEPER, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Berlin, Ocean City and Ocean Pines Police Departments, Maryland State Police, and Worcester County Health Department have joined forces to launch the countywide event.
The program prevents potentially harmful medications from entering the waterways and impacting aquatic life. In 2004, the USGS identified 100 different pharmaceuticals in surface water, including acetaminophen, caffeine, codeine, antibiotics and warfarin (a common blood thinner). They also found that an antibiotic, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder and nicotine had contaminated aquifers.
“Operation Medicine Drop events are an important part of our community outreach,” said Assateague COASTKEEPER Kathy Phillips. “By not flushing medications, or throwing them in the trash can, we are able to keep thousands of pounds of pharmaceuticals out of our waterways and our drinking water.”
Operation Medicine Drop also prevents medications from accidentally falling into the hands of small children or pets and from being abused by teens or adults. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Residents are asked not to flush unwanted medications and instead bring all unused or expired medications to one of these drop off locations.
Operation Medicine Drop locations are Walmart Super Center, Pocomoke; Snow Hill Fire House; Berlin Police Department; Maryland State Police, Berlin Barrack; Walmart Supercenter, Berlin; the Ocean City Police Department; and the Ocean Pines Police Department. Both the Ocean City and Ocean Pines police departments have permanent drop boxes.
In 2013, a combined weight of over 1,000 pounds of medications were collected at these two locations.
“It’s very encouraging to see local residents safely turning in their unused medications all year long,” Phillips said. “A lot of time and effort by our local law enforcement agencies is required to maintain these drop boxes and our community should commend the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, and the Ocean City and Ocean Pines Police Departments for providing this important public service.”
For more information, call Phillips at 443-235-2014 or visit www.actforbays.org