In recognition of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27, David Mara, Governor Sununu’s Advisor on Addiction and Behavioral Health, urges New Hampshire residents to discard unneeded medications at drop box locations listed on Take Back Day and on the state’s website.
There are four drop-off locations in Manchester – Manchester police headquarters on Valley Street; Elliot River’s Edge, Catholic Medical Center, and the State Armory.
Organized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides people with the opportunity to empty their medicine cabinets of unneeded medications and dispose of them safely at drop off locations throughout New Hampshire including hospitals and police departments.
Mara, who works closely with the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative of New Hampshire (RALI NH), wrote, ““As Governor Sununu noted at the launch of RALI NH, it’s encouraging to witness a team of public and private partners work tirelessly to combat the opioid crisis in New Hampshire. RALI NH is playing a vital role in this fight by educating the public on a major contributor to addiction, and that’s access to unused prescription medicine. This is why Governor Sununu and I are asking everyone to clean out their medicine cabinets for national Prescription Take Back Day this Saturday, October 27th.”
Mara joined Elliot Hospital President Greg Baxter and other partners of RALI NH at Elliot Hospital’s lobby that includes a prescription drug drop box that allows for the safe disposal of unwanted medications. Similar drop boxes can be found in hospitals and police stations across the state.
Mayor Joyce Craig also urged participation in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. “I applaud the efforts of RALI New Hampshire, the DEA, and hospitals and police departments across the state who are participating in Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” said Craig. “I ask every Manchester resident to clean out their medicine cabinets of unneeded medications and drop them off this Saturday at one of our local hospitals or the Manchester Police Department.”
In August, Governor Chris Sununu joined in support of RALI NH and Jim and Jeanne Moser’s Zero Left Campaign to educate people about the need to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs, which left unsecured at home can be abused by friends and loved ones.
In addition to today’s event, RALI NH has been airing public service announcements on radio stations and online and print ads throughout the state to increase participation in the take back day. RALI Partners, led by the New Hampshire Hospital Association are distributing 100,000 prescription drug safe disposal pouches along with Zero Left Campaign education materials about safe disposal including FDA-approved at-home solutions and drop box locations.
RALI New Hampshire is a partnership of more than a dozen local, state, and national organizations committed to finding solutions to end the opioid crisis in New Hampshire.
Members of the coalition include:
● Addiction Policy Forum
● Capitol Area Public Health Network
● CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)
● Chucky’s Fight
● Dismas Home of New Hampshire
● Granite Pathways Safe Harbor Recovery Center
● Hope on Haven Hill
● Makin’ It Happen
● New Hampshire Grange
● New Hampshire Hospital Association
● North Country Serenity Center
● Reality Check
● The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
● Zero Left Campaign
