The Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services thinks you should safely dispose of your old pills! Here’s a press release about what they are actively doing to fulfill that commitment: 

As a result of collaboration between the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services Public Health, Humboldt Waste Management Authority, the Humboldt Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP), Humboldt Independent Practice Association, Cloney’s pharmacies and community members, Humboldt County residents will have more options of where to dispose of their unused or expired medications.

Cloney’s pharmacies have set up two medication disposal bins, one at one of its Eureka locations, and one at its McKinleyville location.

There will be a ribbon cutting at the Eureka location, 2515 Harrison Ave. at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, March 28.

The bins will accept all medications, prescription and non-prescription, including controlled substances such as opioid painkillers. Humboldt County has a high rate of prescription medication overdose deaths, and these bins will help reduce the number of dangerous medications in the community.

“We are excited to have our first two bins in Humboldt that will accept narcotic medications,” said ASAP member Christy Fausone. “This is a great opportunity for community members to easily dispose of their unused prescriptions safely.”

For more information about safe medication disposal, visit www.humboldtgov.org/2151/Prescription-Drug-Safety.

Following a presentation about prescription drug abuse both nationwide and in Humboldt County, the Board of Supervisors declared March Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month.

Participants in the presentation from left to right: Dr. Glenn Siegfried, Dr. Bill Hunter; Jill Duffy, Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA); Alison Newman, senior health education specialist at DHHS, Bryan Coleman from Cloney’s Pharmacy, Christy Fausone, Humboldt ASAP; Eric Keller-Heckman, HWMA; Dr. Mary Meengs and Rosemary Den Ouden (both with Humboldt IPA).