City of Tulsa Holds Prescription Take Back Event
The city of Tulsa held a prescription drug take-back event on Saturday, May 16th, 2015. The event gave community and area residents the opportunity to dispose of unwanted, unused and outdated medications and prescription drugs in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner.
Tulsa Drug Take-Back Event
Three convenient locations were available to area Oklahomans to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs and medications on Saturday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.—the Reasor’s parking lots at 71st and Sheridan; the Reasor’s parking lot at 41st and Yale; and the Save-A-Lot parking lot at Pine and Lewis.
Nearly two Oklahomans die every day due to prescription drug overdose; and it is the leading cause of death for Oklahomans 25 to 64 years of age. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation for drug overdose deaths, and studies reveal that those abusing prescription drugs commonly get them from family and friends.
Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartley focused on prescription drug abuse as a key issue in his Safer, Stronger Tulsa safety series. He expressed the city of Tulsa’s commitment to addressing prescription drug abuse, noting it impacts public safety, and affects the quality of life for people in the community. The Mayor further noted that drug take-back events are a critical part of addressing prescription drug abuse while providing Tulsa residents a way to properly dispose of medications.
The Tulsa Prescription Drug Take-Back event was conducted by the Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Medical Society, the Coalition Against Prescription and Substance Abuse of Tulsa (CAPSAT), Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and the City of Tulsa Water & Sewer Department.
Tulsa residents—and all Oklahomans—are urged not to flush prescription drugs and other medications down toilets, but to dispose of them properly. Wastewater treatment plants do no remove the chemicals found in many prescription drugs and medications, and these chemicals can end-up in streams and groundwater when not properly disposed of.
Any time of the years, Tulsa residents can take unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs to the Tulsa county Sheriff’s Office, and any one of the three Tulsa Police Division Headquarters.
Take-Back Tulsa: Rx Drug Abuse Prevention Forum
On Friday, May 15th, the day prior to the Tulsa Prescription Drug-Take Back event, the reigning Mrs. America, Michelle Evans, spoke at the OSU Center for Health Services, sharing her personal story on the devastation that addiction can cause. A native of Tulsa, Mrs. Evans joined a panel of guests, including Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics representatives, in a Q & A session following her keynote speech. Attendance was free-of –charge, including a complimentary lunch.
