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Expired meds can be toxic

Unused medications focus of Vernon program

Jun 13, 2019 | 1:05 PM

If you’ve got any old medications around your house, now is the time to round them up and properly get rid of them.

July is Unused Medication Return Month, and the Vernon branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) will be running a campaign encouraging residents to return medications safely to any local pharmacy.

“If there are medications in there that aren’t being used or are expired, why keep them? Expired medications can be ineffective or even toxic. Plus, there is the risk of accidental ingestion by kids or someone in the home accessing them that shouldn’t,” Naaz Grewal, CMHA, Vernon and District Community Educator, said.

All Vernon pharmacies participate in the program, so it’s easy to return expired or unused prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or even natural health products at any time.

You can return your medication any day of the year with these easy steps:

  1. Check for any unused and expired medications around your household.
  2. Empty all pills into a clear bag or container, but remember to keep liquids, creams and inhalers in their original packaging. All labels on containers should be removed and recycled and pills should be taken out of the blister packs, if possible.
  3. Drop them off at any local pharmacy.
  4. If you return your medication in July you are eligible to enter into a draw. Simply take a picture while returning your medication, use the hashtag #MedReturn2019 and tag CMHA-Vernon on Facebook (@cmhavernon) or Instagram (@cmhavernon) to be entered into a draw for a $50 gift card to The Fig restaurant. The winner will be announced on CMHA-Vernon’s social media on August 7.

“We sometimes forget what we have in our medicine cabinets,” Grewal said.

CMHA Vernon and District will have a booth at the Sunshine Festival on June 15 with more information about the Unused Medicine Return Project.

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