Wisconsin again leads nation in collecting unwanted drugs

It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes our government gets it right. And when it does, it is worth pointing out. Wisconsin deserves a pat on the back for its efforts to properly dispose of expired and unused prescription drugs. Twice a year, the state holds a drug takeback day, collecting the old prescriptions. In the most recent effort, thanks to the work of the Wisconsin National Guard, police and governments, Wisconsin led the nation in the amount of prescription drugs collected. Last month, 58,000 pounds of drugs were collected. In the April collection, the total was 59,000 pounds, for a total of almost 120,000 pounds for the year. That is more than any other state. Getting rid of old drugs helps prevent addiction. One person’s unused drugs can easily become someone else’s misused drugs, possibly leading them down a path to addiction. Also, thanks to this annual effort, these drugs don’t end up in our municipal water supplies. This can’t happen without the coordination of many different agencies, but clearly that coordination is in place in Wisconsin. If you helped properly dispose of medications, thank you. If you didn’t you may want to check your medicine cabinet to get ready for the next drug takeback day. Clearly, proper disposal makes a big difference.