October 17, 2020

The Lee’s Summit Police Department, in partnership with Lee’s Summit CARES, is offering two drive-thru locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 24 as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Unused medications can be safely and conveniently dropped off at the Lee’s Summit Police Department, 10 NE Tudor Rd., or Lee’s Summit Medical Center, 2100 SE Blue Pkwy.

Representatives from the Lee’s Summit Police Department will be at each location to accept the medications and answer questions. Accepted medications include prescription medications, patches and ointments; over-the-counter medications; vitamins; samples; and pet medications. Needles, thermometers, inhalers and liquids will not be accepted.

A 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. This event helps get unused and unwanted medications out of the house and disposed of safely. Flushing prescription drugs down the toilet can be harmful to the environment.

Since the first National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in 2010, nearly 13 million pounds of medication have been collected. In Missouri, 531,679 pounds of medication have been disposed of since the program began.

For more information about National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and the two drive-thru locations in Lee’s Summit, visit cityofLS.net.

As pandemic-related stress may be fueling crisis, event corresponds with DEA Take Back Day to educate community about safe, proper disposal of opioids
Lee’s Summit Medical Center — part of HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City’s leading healthcare provider — is hosting a “Crush the Crisis” Opioid Take Back Day to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and proper disposal of medications. Community members are invited to safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. The event aligns with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Lee’s Summit Medical Center is participating as part of HCA Healthcare’s second annual national “Crush the Crisis” Opioid Take Back Day. In fall 2019, 100 HCA Healthcare facilities in 16 states collected 5,887 pounds of unused and expired medications at nationwide “Crush the Crisis” events.

Opioid addiction is a national health crisis. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), more than 67,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2018, with more than half attributed to opioids.

“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid addiction continues to be a crisis not only in the Kansas City area, but across our nation,” says Lee’s Summit Medical Center Chief Executive Officer John McDonald, FACHE. “Our goal for ‘Crush the Crisis’ is to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid addiction and educate our community about the proper disposal of these medications. Opioid addiction can happen to anyone and we are providing this drop-off opportunity, confidentially and anonymously.”

Stress related to the pandemic may be exacerbating the opioid crisis by causing many Americans to have feelings of anxiety, grief, isolation, financial worry, and an ongoing sense of uncertainty. For every 10 suspected overdoes reported to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) in May 2019, 14 overdoses were reported in May 2020. Since the pandemic began 40 states have reported increases in opioid-related mortality, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).

Law enforcement officers from the Lee’s Summit Police Department will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana).

Not accepted: needles, syringes, lancets or liquids.

COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at the event, including universal masking, social distancing, removal of high-touch items and a drive-through collection at the ER entrance.