Celebrate National Take Back Day by Using Manchester's Big Red Barrel

This upcoming Saturday, September 26th, 2015, is National Take Back Day. SRSLY Manchester is encouraging everyone to take inventory of the prescription and over-the-counter medications in their possession and drop off unused, unneeded, and expired medications in the Big Red Barrel located outside the Sheriff’s Office on the lower level of the Manchester Village Offices at 912 City Road. On National Take Back Day, the Big Red Barrel will be accessible between 10 am and 2 pm but can also be accessed 7 days a week (see image below for times). According to Sgt. Paul Cook, the Manchester Big Red Barrel has collected approximately 73 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medications since August 2013. 

SRSLY Manchester Community Organizer, Lindsay Hannah provided questions and answers on the topic to explain Take Back Day more fully:

Why is there a Take Back Day?
Well, it just so happens that properly disposing of your unused, unneeded and expired medications is one of the most effective ways to prevent prescription drug abuse. By properly disposing of your medications, you are reducing access, which means you have successfully hindered the ease with which an individual can obtain prescription medications that a doctor did not prescribe to them. Plus, we like the earth and all its creatures and we have learned that tossing medications in the trash or flushing them harms the environment and our drinking water.

Why is this important to me?
Let me tell you, it is VERY important. Prescription drug abuse and misuse has become a serious issue in Michigan AND across the nation. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “Misuse of prescription drugs is second only to marijuana use as the nation's most commonly used illicit drug. Pain reliever misuse is a public health concern, with approximately 24 million persons initiating nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers since 2002. According to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 4.2 percent of Americans aged 12 or older engaged in nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers in the past year.” The Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkow stated, “Prescription medications are beneficial when used as prescribed to treat pain, anxiety, or ADHD. However, their abuse can have serious consequences, including addiction or even death from overdose. We are especially concerned about prescription drug abuse among teens, who are developmentally at an increased risk for addiction.”

Okay, but, why is this important to Manchester?
According to the 2014 Michigan Profiles for Healthy Youth for Manchester Community Schools, 1 out of 26 MHS students regularly abuse prescription painkillers such as OxyContin, Codeine, Vicodin, & Percocet. Additionally, 1 out of 17 Manchester High School students regularly abuse prescription medication such as Ritalin, Xanax, & Adderall.

I’ve been hearing more people talk about a link between heroin use and prescription drug use. What is that about?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that “Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin. Some individuals reported taking up heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids.”

Okay, now I am a freaked out. What is Manchester doing to prevent prescription drug abuse?
The Manchester Wellness Coalition in collaboration with the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation has been on top of the take-back initiatives and installed a Big Red Barrel outside of the Manchester Sheriff Substation. Returning medication is easy. Show up, grab a Ziploc bag, dump pills from the bottle or pop them out of their blister packs into the bag, zip ’em shut, and slide down the chute. There is a trash can next to the chute to dispose of your empty prescription bottles and other refuse. (REMINDER: remove labels with personal information).

The Manchester Big Red Barrel does NOT accept SHARPS, INHALERS, PATCHES, and LIQUIDS. Check out the Don’t Flush Drugs Washtenaw County web page to learn about local resources to properly dispose of sharps, inhalers, patches, and liquids. You can also take home a giant magnet with the Manchester Big Red Barrel hours of operation and location as a helpful reminder to drop of your medication. Magnets can be found around town at multiple locations including the Manchester Pharmacy. Don’t forget to say hi to Jay!

Cool, we get it, BIG RED BARREL is the bomb. Are we doing anything else?
Yuppers. Our local pharmacist Jay Demski stated, “To help combat controlled medication diversion, Manchester Pharmacy only works with local physicians, offices in which we have a developed relationship, or respected regional health facilities. We also utilize the Michigan Automated Prescription System or MAPS to monitor controlled prescriptions.” MAPS is a Michigan-based prescription data base that pharmacists and dispensing practitioners enter data on patient’s Schedules 2-5 controlled substance prescriptions. Physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, podiatrists and veterinarians are all encouraged to access this data and check for any red flags that may indicate an abuse of the medication. This allows medical professionals to support patients and encourage them into appropriate recovery programs and reduce access to the medication being abused.

I feel like Manchester could be doing more … are we?
Yes we are! The SRSLY Manchester Coalition works to prevent youth alcohol and substance use (including prescription medications). SRSLY Manchester is currently working on a Community Needs Assessment to get a clearer picture on how Alcohol, Prescription Drugs, and Marijuana are affecting the community. The completion of the assessment will allow SRSLY Manchester to identify priority problems and choose the best fitting evidenced-based interventions for Manchester. ADDITIONALLY, all the hard work puts SRSLY Manchester in a good position to apply for the Drug Free Communities Federal Grant. If SRSLY Manchester were to receive this grant it would mean potential funding for these interventions for up to five years at an estimated $125,000 per year. You can help SRSLY Manchester by joining the coalition and participating on taskforces or project groups, participate in a focus group, completing surveys, or volunteering at events/activities. We need your energy, passion, expertise, and life experiences to thrive and help the community.

OK, I’m feeling a bit better. Now, what can I do?
GREAT QUESTION! Here’s a list.

1. Use the Big Red Barrel.
2. Join the SRSLY Manchester Coalition.
3. TALK to the youth in your life. Parents, Grandparents, Coaches, Siblings, Neighbors, Friends: I’m talking to you. You can all make a positive impact on someone’s life by talking to them about the risks associated with alcohol and drug use. There are a ton of age appropriate resources out there on how to talk to the youth in your life about prescription medications and other drugs. DO NOT EVER STOP TALKING. If your child is in college, you should definitely continue to have multiple conversations about alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, and other illicit drugs.
4. Be aware of the signs of prescription drug abuse. Youth are not the only ones abusing prescription drugs.
5. SURVEYS! I know, we have entered an over-surveyed era. However, surveys like the Michigan Profiles for Healthy Youth help us identify trends in alcohol, drugs, and other health factors in the youth right here in our community, allowing us to identify areas of concern, obtain funding, and implement appropriate interventions. Adults, we survey you as well. You may receive phone calls to take part in the Washtenaw County Health Improvement Plan Survey, or requests via email, news outlets, or social media by SRSLY to take part in a survey. They are all incredibly important, so please talk to your friends, family, and youth about the importance of these surveys and why you need to answer them honestly.

More Resources:
Partnership for Drug Free Kids
Kids Health: Age Appropriate Ways to Talk to Kids about Drugs
Mayo Clinic: Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse
Project SUCCESS
Washtenaw County Medication Disposal: Don’t Flush Drugs
Mayo Clinic: Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse
Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.