Police stations and select pharmacies have long been among the only places to legally drop off unwanted medications. Now, there is another option. Sacred Heart University’s (SHU) wellness center recently launched a one-of-a-kind medication drop-off program. The center has partnered with Stericycle, a company that manufactures safe and sustainable medication mail-back envelopes, to offer students a new way to dispose of unwanted medications.
James Geisler, executive director of wellness services at SHU, is particularly excited about the university’s new initiative. “Today, it is not uncommon for many college students to use some kind of prescribed medication and the unfortunate byproduct of this is a growing risk of suicide attempts, overdoses and misuse on campuses nationwide,” he said. “With this new service, students will be able to obtain an envelope from our office and drop off their unwanted or unused medications at the mailroom, ending the potential for unnecessary use.” SHU is setting a new standard as one of the only college campuses around the nation with this type of program.
Karen Flanagan, director of prevention, education and early intervention services at SHU, at the Fairfield-based institution said, “When you remove barriers and make it convenient and easy for students to take action right on campus, they are more likely to engage in protective behaviors. This program reduces the likelihood of dangerous misuse of medications by simply removing access. When you take these medications out of circulation, you remove the risk associated with them.”
