UConn Health Center pharmacists, pharmacy students, nursing students, UConn staff and campus police collected 12,104 doses of controlled substances and 509 pounds of non-controlled substances for proper disposal Saturday.
The Medical Arts and Research Building on lower campus was a drive-thru drop-off point for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The tally was 138 cars over the four-hour period.
“Getting rid of your old medications this way will go a long way in preventing them from getting into the wrong hands and being used improperly or abused,” says John Dobbins, UConn Health Center pharmacist and organizer of the Health Center’s collection. “Not only that, it’s much better than flushing them down the toilet, which threatens to harm our water supply.”
The total number of prescriptions for controlled substances collected by the 29-member staff was 287, which included tablets, capsules, patches, and 2.2 liters of liquid narcotics. The non-controlled substances filled three 55-gallon barrels.
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