PHD removes unused meds from circulation

The Panhandle Health District collected 36.4 pounds of medication turned in during an annual Take Back event held last month.

The health district partnered with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office and North Idaho Aids Coalition to collect sharps, or any paraphernalia, and unused medication to prevent it from entering the street market circulation.

The Take Back is part of a national effort to recover unused prescription medications from communities anonymously.

“The Drug Enforcement Agency’s national prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects the DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting,” the DEA said on its website.

Nationally, the DEA gathers more than 646,000 pounds of unused or unwanted medication from over 5,000 sites.

Walgreens in Coeur d’Alene and the Medicine Man West Pharmacy in Post Falls are two local sites authorized by the DEA to reclaim prescription drugs year-round.

“The Take Back campaign is part of DEA’s continued efforts to protect our communities and create healthier environments by offering the safe disposal of medications,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in a press release. “We appreciate the community support we see during these events and encourage everyone to remove unneeded medications from their home.”