Utah County wants residents to clean out medicine cabinets

PROVO — Utah County officials want to stop prescription drug abuse at its primary source — the family medicine cabinet.

To help county residents dispose of an estimated 7 million unused pain pills in their homes, the county has scheduled "Clean Out the Cabinet" events, when residents can drop off unused prescription drugs.

"Utah has one of the highest prescription drug-abuse rates in the nation, and 70 percent of the youths abusing narcotic pain pills say they get them from their own medicine cabinets or the medicine cabinets of their friends," said Kye Norfelt, coordinator of the Substance Misuse and Abuse Reduction Team. "If residents are not using these drugs anymore, we encourage them to just get rid of them."

This week and next, drop-off events are planned for Walgreens and Walmart locations from Saratoga Springs to Payson.

Norfelt said residents should dispose of any mood-altering drugs they no longer use, including pain relievers and sedatives. People who are keeping such drugs should make sure they are locked up.

"If people are going to keep this in their homes, they should put them in a secure area, such as a home safe or a gun safe. They are valuable," he said.

Dr. Joseph Miner, Utah County Health Department director, told Utah County commissioners Tuesday morning that substance abuse costs Utah County residents and governments more than $800 million a year.

Miner presented a proclamation to the commissioners declaring April as "Clean Out the Cabinet Month."

In addition to the take-back events, residents also are encouraged to take unused medication to any of the nine permanent prescription drug drop-off boxes in the county, the newest of which was opened at the Provo City Police Department, 48 S. 300 West, last week.

Other permanent drop-off boxes are located in police department offices in Mapleton, Orem, Santaquin/Genola, Eagle Mountain, Spanish Fork and the Utah County Jail, as well as in the Salem city offices. The boxes allow for anonymous disposal of drugs and are monitored by police around the clock.

Medication also can be disposed of at home by mixing it with something like cat litter and then throwing it in the trash.

More information about proper disposal of prescription drugs is available at www.cleanoutthecabinet.org.

Clean out the cabinet

Utah County residents can drop off unused prescription drugs during "Clean Out the Cabinet" events from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:

Saturday: Walgreens, 850 S. State and 763 N. State, Orem; 815 W. State, Pleasant Grove; 102 N. 1200 East, Lehi; and 1410 N. Redwood Road, Saratoga Springs.

April 24: Walgreens, 420 S. Main, Springville; 132 N. Main, Payson; and Walmart, 585 N. State, Lindon.

e-mail: mhaddock@desnews.com