In recognition of National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday April 22, Insurance Commissioner and Safe Kids N.C. Chair Mike Causey invites the public to drop off their unused medication at our Operation Medicine Drop (OMD) prescription drug take back event in Wilmington.
North Carolina is experiencing an opioid epidemic. Dangerous prescription pills and medications can not only hurt our loved ones and their families, but they can wind up in our water system and have damaging environmental impacts if not disposed of properly.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, overdoses are responsible for more than 30 deaths every week in North Carolina – that’s more than four every day! Approximately 79% of those deaths involve some type of opioid.
Operation Medicine Drop is a FREE drug take-back program that gives people a safe and secure way to dispose of unwanted over-the counter and prescription medications.
Safe Kids North Carolina is teaming with Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Safe Kids Cape Fear for this drug take back event to help decrease the number of drug overdoses in southeastern North Carolina.
Commissioner Causey will attend the Wilmington event taking place on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Novant Health New Hanover Medical Plaza, 2243 S. 17th St., Wilmington, N.C.
A Pender County Operation Medicine Drop drug take back event will be taking place simultaneously at Surf City Police Department, 214 W. Florence Way, Hampstead, N.C.
Operation Medicine Drop take-back events like these have helped lower the number of overdoses in the last few years.
Since the first N.C. drug take-back event in 2010 the program has:
• Collected more than 300 million pills
• Supported over 4,435 events
• Assisted in the placement of over 500 drop box locations
Here are the details for Saturday’s event:
WHO: Insurance Commissioner and Safe Kids N.C. Chair Mike Causey, Safe Kids Cape Fear, Novant Health New Hanover
WHAT: Prescription Drug Take-Back event (Operation Medicine Drop)
WHERE: Novant Health New Hanover Medical Plaza
2243 S. 17th St.
Wilmington, N.C., 28401
WHEN: Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Media availability at 11 a.m.
WHY: North Carolina is experiencing an opioid epidemic. Operation Medicine Drop aims to keep unused drugs out of the wrong hands and out of our water and environment.
To find a permanent drop box near you, visit the Operation Medicine Drop website.
