On Nov. 16, University Health Services is hosting a prescription drug take back program that will allow students, faculty and staff to turn in old and expired medications for safe disposal absolutely free. The drug disposal program will be held in conjunction with the campus Health Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Jordan Ballroom.
Members from the Boise Police Department will be on site to collect and secure prescription medications, which will then be safely incinerated (for more information about disposing medications, go here). This method of disposal is better than throwing prescriptions away or flushing them down the toilet, where they may leach into the water supply.
Twelve percent of Idaho college students report using prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them. The national average for college students abusing prescription drugs is nearly 11 percent.
Boise State’s prescription drug take back event is part of the Idaho College Health Coalition’s prescription drug prevention program, which is funded by a grant through the Idaho Office of Drug Policy. The Idaho College Health Coalition is a partnership among four universities – Lewis-Clark State College, College of Idaho, University of Idaho and Boise State – to combat alcohol and drug abuse with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles among college students. These other universities already have hosted drug take back events on their campuses this year. Lewis-Clark reported collecting 67 pounds of unused medications and University of Idaho had 176 people attend their drug take back event.