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If you have old prescriptions sitting in your medicine cabinet or expired over-the-counter meds taking up space, here's your chance to dispose of them safely while helping protect your community.
The SAFE Coalition is hosting drive-thru medication disposal stations on Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m.–noon at locations in Franklin, Norfolk, Medway, Millis, and Wrentham. It's completely free, totally anonymous, and you don't even have to get out of your car.
You can find drive-up locations in the parking lots of Franklin Town Hall, Medway Town Hall, Millis Fire Department, Norfolk Police Department, and Wrentham Town Hall.
What can you bring? Any medication you want to get rid of – over-the-counter pills, prescription medications (yes, including opioids), and even medical devices like vapes and cartridges. No questions asked, no judgment, just safe disposal. Visit safecoalitionma.org/rx-day for details.
Clean it Out
Most of us have a drawer or cabinet somewhere with old medications we're not sure what to do with. But keeping unused or expired prescriptions around isn't just clutter – it can actually be dangerous. The numbers are pretty sobering: in 2023, 20% of people who had opioid prescriptions ended up misusing them, either by taking higher doses than prescribed or using them in ways their doctors didn't recommend.
And it's not just about misuse. Those leftover pills can be dangerous if kids, pets, or other family members accidentally get into them. And flushing old meds down the toilet might seem like an easy solution, but it can contaminate our water supply and harm fish and other wildlife.
SAFE Coalition has partnered with Deterra to make medication disposal as easy and safe as possible. Can't make it to the September 15 event? No problem – you can check out the Deterra website to buy drug deactivation systems like disposal pouches, lockboxes, and containers that let you safely dispose of medications at home.
