Confluence Health’s Medication Take Back Program has been instituted to help address the opioid and prescription drug abuse epidemic in North Central Washington. The region previously only had access to two public disposal locations, leaving many dangerous and addictive substances in people’s homes, unprotected and unmonitored.
Confluence’s program places medication disposal boxes at pharmacies throughout Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. Each new medication disposal site provides a permanent location for safe, responsible and secure drop-off of unwanted prescription medications.
In their first weekend of use, the disposal sites located in Wenatchee collected nearly 70 gallons of unused and unwanted medications. Since April, more than 340 gallons of medications have been deposited into the three active medication disposal boxes.
Funded by the Confluence Health Foundation, Confluence is planning on establishing 27 new medication disposal boxes within 5 years. (Mary Kay Clunies-Ross)
