Intermountain Healthcare, the Washington County Prevention Coalition, Sharps MD Medical Waste Disposal Removal Transport Service, and various Washington County organizations have partnered to provide drop boxes for the safe disposal of unused or expired medications. These drop boxes are available to the community free of charge and are generally open for use during regular business hours depending on each location.
“We strongly encourage people to use drop boxes, because flushing or throwing out these medications can have damaging effects on our soil and water supply,” said Teresa Willie, Washington County Prevention Coalition coordinator.
Intermountain Healthcare donated $5,000 to cover the installation and the first three years of operational costs. The Washington County Prevention Coalition helped facilitate the donation, and Sharps MD Medical Waste Disposal Removal Transport Service, a private medication disposal company, contracts for the removal and incineration of the disposed drugs.
In Utah, 7,000 opioid prescriptions are filled every day. A recent survey showed that approximately only half of the pills prescribed are actually used by the patient. Drug poisoning is the current leading cause of accidental death in Utah, and according to the Utah Department of Health, Utah is ninth in the nation in opioid overdose deaths. However, the Centers for Disease Control reported Utah is number one in the nation when looking at just prescription drug overdose.
“Most people think of heroin as a deadly drug, and it is, but the reality is prescription opioids take more lives than all illicit drugs combined in southern Utah,” said Willie.
Drop box locations in Washington County
Watson Dixie Pharmacy
Dixie Regional Medical Center
1380 E. Medical Center Dr., St. George
Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Washington City Police Department
95 N. Main St., Washington
Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
750 S 5300 W, Hurricane
Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Dixie State University Police
300 S 800 E, St. George
Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
St. George City Police Department
265 N 200 E, St. George
Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Hurricane City Police Department
90 S 700 W, Hurricane
Hours: Mondays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Stapley Pharmacy
102 E. City Center, St. George
Hours: Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
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