Health Department to add sharp disposal to its drop off program
Apr. 25—The Cleveland County Health Department is holding a drug and medication disposal drive-thru event, which will include a sharps disposal component.
National DEA Drug and Sharps take Back Event will be Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at three locations: the Norman office of the Cleveland County Health Department, 250 12th Ave. NE; the Moore office of the Cleveland County Health Department 424 S. Eastern Ave.; and the Absentee Shawnee Tribe Little Axe Health Center, 15951 Little Axe Drive.
The event provides a safe space for people to properly dispose of drugs, medications and sharps (needles, syringes, etc.) in a judge-free setting.
Danielle Romero, health promotion specialist at OU Southwest Prevention Center, said people can come in anonymously to drop off items, including pills, powders, patches, hypodermic needles, syringes, IVs, tubes with needles, and scalpel blades.
"We did not offer the sharps take back in the fall, so we're really excited to offer that this time," Romero said.
Demetrick Jones, prevention specialist at OU's Southwestern Prevention Center, said the disposal of medications and sharps is an issue in Cleveland County.
"Across our community it's been a challenge to be able to safely dispose of sharps. It's so important because there aren't just a lot of places that an individual or resident of Cleveland County can get rid of those sharps," Jones said.
He said that while some needle users purchase sharps containers, that's not an option for everyone. He said at the drive-thru event, members of the community can get rid of their sharps on condition that they are in a safe container.
"There may be residents who can't afford an actual sharps hazardous waste container, and so we've instructed them that they can use a plastic milk jug to dispose of them," he said. "There's always that question of whether you should throw it away with your everyday trash. This gives an environmentally-friendly safe way for residents to dispose of their sharps that's convenient for them."
Attendees can also pick up medical lockboxes as well as Narcan, a naloxone opioid reversal medication from The Virtue Center. The Cleveland County Health Department will offer fentanyl testing kits.
Mary Bixler, public information officer for the Cleveland County Health Department, said that take back events are important for community-wide health to prevent overdose cases.
"This applies to people actively experiencing substance misuse disorder or individuals in recovery, but extends to families and aging adults as well," Bixler said. "Families with young children or teenagers that may have friends coming in and out of the home are at risk of accidental poisonings due to unwanted or expired medications in the home."
She said even aging adults, including those experiencing dementia and Alzheimer's disease, benefit by having fewer unnecessary medications at the home.
"We tend to think mostly of those that use drugs as the primary beneficiaries of harm reduction tactics such as take back events," Bixler said. "However, research suggests that family members and loved ones, children, pets and caregivers are equally at risk of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to unsecured prescription medications in homes."
Jones said personnel are trained to not ask questions or make judgmental remarks on the kinds of medications or drugs that are being disposed of.
"We are a safe place and it's non judgmental," Jones said. "We've had individuals that have come to past events who have had things they have needed to dispose of, and they have never received any kind of judgment from us. They just drop it in the box, and there are no questions asked. There are no instances of funny looks."
Brian King covers education and politics for The Transcript. Reach him at bking@normantranscript.com.
