Early Bird

Time to clean out your medicine cabinet?

The Health Center at Auraria has resources to help students, faculty and staff safely dispose of excess or expired medications.

By Lindsey Coulter

April 30, 2019

The Health Center at Auraria is hosting Campus Medication Take-Back Day on May 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Faculty, staff and students are invited to visit the Health Center, located at Plaza 150, to learn more and enjoy refreshments.

Medication take-back events reduce the risk of people taking expired medication and also help decrease or prevent medication abuse. Beth Sandlin, assistant director of education services for the Health Center at Auraria, notes that the events can also reduce the environmental risks posed by improper medication disposal. Throwing expired or excess medication in the garbage can pose a serious threat to curious children or animals, while flushing medications pollutes drinking water and threatens wildlife.

Medications accepted in the take-back event include:

• Prescription medications (including prescribed controlled substances)
• Over-the-counter medications
• Liquid medications in original containers
• Medicated patches
• Medication samples
• Ointments
• Vitamins
• Pet medications
• Unused injection cartridges and unused inhaler canisters

Medications not accepted in the take-back event include:

• Marijuana
• Illicit drugs (DEA Schedule l drugs)
• Needles
• Syringes or other sharps
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Medical tools and supplies
• Bloody or infectious waste
• Personal-care products
• Thermometers
• Empty containers
• Medication wastes

Can’t make it to Take-Back Day? Access to the medication take-back box is available during the Health Center’s regular business hours. More information on safe disposal of substances not included in the take-back event is available on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.