Grey-Bruce residents returned more than 200 unused or expired medications to an Owen Sound pharmacy for safe disposal as part of this year’s Attacking Medication Misuse campaign – a joint effort between Grey Bruce Public Health and the Owen Sound Attack.

In exchange, participants received vouchers for a regular-season Owen Sound Attack home game. All 150 vouchers, which were available for the campaign, were claimed within a few days.

Returned medications included antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, opioids, benzodiazepines, and asthma medication.

“This campaign was a success for several reasons,” says Jason Weppler, Manager of GBPH’s Comprehensive Health Promotion program.

“First, we accomplished our primary goal of increasing awareness about the proper way to dispose of no-longer-required medications – that being to return them to any pharmacy for safe disposal. We were also able to ensure that more than 200 unused medications will not end up in landfill, local waterways, or the wrong hands.”

Grey Bruce Public Health teamed up with the Owen Sound Attack and Shoppers Drug Mart on 16th St. E. on the Attacking Medication Misuse campaign.

The campaign encouraged people to gather expired pills, tablets, creams, and natural health products from their medicine cabinets, cupboards, and drawers and return them to a pharmacy for proper disposal. All pharmacies accept old or unused medications year-round.

The campaign began Oct. 4 and was set to wrap up Oct. 10 or until all free-ticket vouchers were claimed, whichever came first. All vouchers were claimed by Oct. 8.