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Council approves Dunn’s awareness program for safe medicine return

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Metropolitan King County
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Council approves Dunn’s awareness program for safe medicine return

Summary

The Metropolitan King County Council on Tuesday passed legislation sponsored by Vice Chair Reagan Dunn to establish an awareness campaign about King County’s secure medicine return program.

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council on Tuesday passed legislation sponsored by Vice Chair Reagan Dunn to establish an awareness campaign about King County’s secure medicine return program. It comes in the wake of new reports of skyrocketing drug overdoses affecting King County and the country.

“With a rapid rise in overdose deaths and increased substance use during the pandemic, there is no time to wait when it comes to removing unused prescription drugs from our medicine cabinets,” Dunn said. “This public awareness campaign for the King County Secure Medicine Return Program is a significant and positive step toward keeping unused medicine off the streets and protecting everyone from drug overdoses.”

The Council-led awareness campaign will give all nine councilmembers resources to educate their constituents about the already established secure medication return program. Resources will include the location of drop boxes across King County as well as the number – 1-844-633-7765 – that any resident of the county can call to request a mail-back envelope. During the pandemic, the mail-back envelope program was expanded to all King County residents.

Items eligible for this program include:

  • Medicines in any form (pills, capsules, creams, liquids)
  • Prescription medicines
  • Non-Prescription over-the-counter medicines
  • Controlled substances
  • Pet medicines

Later this fall, the secure medicine return program will be transitioned to the state. Dunn’s awareness campaign will include information about the transition that all nine Councilmembers can use to communicate the changes with the public.

The secure medicine return program is operated by the pharmaceutical industry in conjunction with local governments. For more information about the program and to find a location to securely drop off your old medication, visit: https://kingcountysecuremedicinereturn.org/ 

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