This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital has established a 24 hour a day, seven days a week drop box for prescription and over-the-counter medications, pet medications and medical patches.
The bright green drug drop box is located in the front hallway inside the Longs Peak Hospital emergency department. This location allows anonymous access anytime of the day.
Items that can not be disposed of in these boxes include: drugs for chemotherapy, needles, syringes, other sharps, illegal substances and marijuana.
According to Linda Gordon, pharmacy operations manager, the Longs Peak drop box is the only 24-hour, year round drug drop-off location in Longmont. She noted that Longmont Public Safety and a few other local pharmacies offer the service during business hours.
UCHealth wants to play an active role in the reduction of opioid use and the misuse of other medications. “Unused medications left in medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse,” Gordon said. “We want to reduce the risk of those medications falling into the wrong hands or into the hands of children by providing a convenient and safe way for people in our community to properly dispose these medications.”
In addition to establishing a drop-box, the hospital has launched an opioid awareness campaign aimed at starting conversations between patients, providers and pharmacists.
These are just a couple of ways UCHealth is taking an active role in helping people make responsible decisions with medications.
