Drug take back envelopes at Milwaukee fire stations make it easier to combat opioid crisis by disposing of medicine | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Take Back My Meds MKE
February 8, 2018
Residents of Milwaukee will now be able to find drug take back envelopes at all Milwaukee fire stations. A map of all fire station locations with envelopes, and a comprehensive list of drug take back locations across Milwaukee County, can be found at takebackmymeds.com.
The easy availability of unused prescription medications is a major factor in overdose, which is the leading cause of accidental death in Milwaukee County.   Roughly 80% of heroin users have used unused medicine to start or feed an addiction.
The network of drug take-back sites in Milwaukee County helps combat the opioid epidemic by keeping unused prescription medications out of the wrong hands.   It also keeps drugs out of Lake Michigan because sewage treatment plants are unable to treat medicine that is flushed down the toilet.
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“Safely disposing of unused medicine is something each of us can do to combat the opioid crisis and protect Lake Michigan,” said Jon Richards, Coalition Director of Take Back My Meds MKE and a local attorney. “The Milwaukee Fire Department is making it that much easier for everyone to get rid of their unused medicine.   This is yet another example of the Fire Department working effectively on the front lines to combat the opioid crisis.”
Take Back My Meds MKE thanks Alderman Michael Murphy, the chairman of the City/County Opioid, Heroin and Cocaine Task Force, for facilitating the placement of envelopes in Milwaukee Fire Stations and Alderman Jim Bohl who, along with Alderman Murphy, played a key role in developing the Milwaukee drug take back envelope initiative.
Take Back My Meds MKE is a coalition of 14 community organizations and businesses dedicated to making it easier for Milwaukee County residents to combat the opioid crisis by safely disposing of unused medicine.  A full list of the coalition’s members can be found at takebackmymeds.com.