Statement from the Minister – National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day
Statement
There is a growing concern that Canada is facing a crisis related to the misuse of medications, including opioids. The Government of Canada is committed to addressing this growing problem head on, through a comprehensive approach, and Health Canada is already at the forefront of this fight, working with partners across the country.
In addition to the Government's actions, there are ways that all Canadians can make a real difference in this fight. Canadians should know that these and other medications can be harmful if they make it out of our medicine cabinets and into the wrong hands, or onto our streets.
Unused prescription drugs can accumulate in our homes and could unwittingly find their way into the hands of our children or teens, or lead to someone taking expired or wrong medication. For these reasons, I am pleased to partner with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to support their efforts to reduce the amount of unused or unwanted prescription drugs through the annual National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day.
On May 21, 2016, I encourage everyone to check their medicine cabinets and to return any unneeded, unwanted or expired prescription medication to your local pharmacy, or to a dedicated prescription drop-off event hosted by your local police.
Proper disposal of these drugs plays an important role in preventing unnecessary tragedies caused by accidental or deliberate misuse of prescription medication. This is also an opportunity to remind all Canadians that returning unused prescription drugs to your local pharmacies can be done any day of the year.
Together, we can all do our part to make sure that prescription drugs are used only for one purpose: treating illness.
The Honourable Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health
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