May 21 is Prescription Drug Drop Off Day

Dufferin County, ON (OPP - Dufferin Detachment) The public is being urged to get their unused and expired prescription medications out of their homes and out of the hands of those the drugs are not prescribed for. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be supporting Prescription Drug Drop Off Day again this year by partnering with other police and health agencies to reduce the availability of pharmaceutical products.

On Saturday May 21 the OPP will be making several detachment sites available for residents to dispose of unused and expired prescription medication in a secure and environmentally-friendly manner.

Police and community partners will be collecting the unused meds between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on that day at designated locations within communities in Ontario. For a complete list of OPP locations where you can safely drop off your meds, go to

https://www.opp.ca/index.php?lng=en&id=115&entryid=5728f5b98f94acad4d3274ff

Certain prescription drugs like opioids, stimulants, and sedatives are associated with serious harms such as addiction, overdose and death. Recent research in the United States estimates the annual cost of the non-medical use of prescription opioids to be more than $50 billion, with lost productivity and crime accounting for 94 percent of this amount. In Canada where these prescription drugs are readily available, their associated harms have become a leading public health and safety concern.

The public is encouraged to contact their local OPP Detachment for any questions about this important community safety initiative. Any unwanted medication can be dropped off at pharmacies in Ontario at any time.