Health organizations in Thunder Bay, Ont., are asking residents to check their medicine cabinets and safely get rid of expired medications, vitamins, and drug paraphernalia.
Nor West Community Health Centres (NWCHC) held the city’s annual Drug Amnesty Day on Wednesday, where individuals could drop off outdated medications and related items outside their office at 525 Simpson St.
Thunder Bay still has the highest rate of opioid-related deaths in Ontario, which is over five times the provincial average, according to the Office of the Chief Coroner.
A significant part of this issue comes from more toxic substances found in street drugs, often mixed with animal tranquilizers and prescription medications, as explained by Nor West manager Nicole Fieduna.
“We’re seeing pain medication – so those really common meds that some people have brought today, your Dilaudid, your Percocets – those are being sold on the street with other substances mixed into it,” Fieduna said.
“That kind of tells you why we don’t want to have those medications at home because they might find their way into the streets.”
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Nicole Fieduna is a manager at Nor West Community Health Centres in Thunder Bay, Ont. She says it’s important for people to have conversations about drug safety, whether it’s prescription medication or illicit substances. (Marc Doucette/CBC)
Keeping old medicines around can also pose risks for children and pets, she noted.
“Why keep it at home? It’s keeping clutter; you might be misusing it; the medication doesn’t have the same efficacy anymore,” Fieduna said.
“If we don’t dispose of them correctly or are putting them down toilets or putting it into the garbage, it puts a risk towards our waterways and also our wildlife.”
This event was organized alongside Syndicate Pharmacy, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s Superior Points Program, the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
However, people can drop off old prescriptions anytime at their nearest pharmacy.
“Every medication or drug-related item that is safely disposed of is one less potential source of accidental poisoning, misuse, and environmental contamination,” said Nor West’s chief executive officer, Juanita Lawson, in a news release.
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People in Thunder Bay, Ont., can contact Superior Points if they see a needle or other drug-related equipment that they want disposed of. (Sarah Law/CBC)
If someone isn’t comfortable picking up a needle themselves, they can reach out to Superior Points. Otherwise, Fieduna advises them to “safely pop the top; grab the top of the plunger; put it within a hard case like a Gatorade bottle” before placing it in a sharps container.
Pill users can get their drugs tested for free at Nor West’s mobile outreach van to understand what’s in their substances before using them.
Fieduna also encourages folks to download Lifeguard Connect app for updates on drug alerts.</P
The app includes a ‘use alone’ timer feature. If users forget to stop this timer after using drugs alone, emergency services will be notified if something goes wrong based on their location.</P
“I hope Wednesday’s event helps raise awareness about available resources locally as well as emphasize how important it is to discuss substance use with family members,” said Fieduna.</P
“It’s a great opportunity for everyone to contribute positively-whether it’s picking up sharps or checking for expired meds.” she added.
“These are just some ways we want community members involved during events like today.”
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Safe disposal and access to services
An additional safety concern involves used drug equipment like pipes and needles found in public areas. You can locate sharps container sites around the city using the Ontario Harm Reduction Program Locations map or by searching on the free Lifeguard Connect app.Source link
