On October 18, individuals can clear out their cabinets and properly dispose of unwanted medications. With prescription drug overdose killing nearly two Oklahomans per day, the push for more awareness of the issue is inevitably needed. The event shadows the Safer, Stronger Tulsa Prescription Drug Summit held by Mayor Dewey Bartlett on October 17. These two events combined leave officials hopeful that the problem will decline as the year winds down.
Tulsa City spokesman Bob Bledsoe remarked that the event is also important for many environmental reasons. He states that many people flush medications down the toilet which is harmful to the streams and those who use them as treatment facilities are designed to removed bacteria but not the "harmful chemicals found in prescription medications."
Tulsans can bring their medications to the three locations listed or any Tulsa Police precinct location:
71st and Sheridan and 41st and Yale; Reasor's parking lot
Pine and Lewis; Save-A-Lot's parking lot