As a pharmacist, I often meet people at the start of the New Year who are looking to make positive changes in their lives. Many want to lose weight, exercise more, or clear their heads by cutting back on distractions and clutter.
In my work as the National Program Director for MED-Project, which stands for Medication Education and Disposal, I like to encourage a different kind of New Year’s resolution – one that’s simple and doesn’t require an early morning trip to the gym or stepping on a scale. In fact, it starts right at home. And all it takes is opening your bathroom or kitchen medicine cabinet and removing any unused or expired medications.
In many cases, these are medications that were prescribed by medical professionals prescribed for short-term use, such as after a dental procedure or a surgery. It was important to follow directions when they were prescribed, and it’s just as important to safely dispose of leftover medications once they are no longer needed. And the same goes for expired over-the-counter medications, including pills, liquids, and inhalers.
Several years ago, New York State created the Drug Take Back program to help residents safely remove unwanted medications from their homes and make sure they’re disposed of in an environmentally sound way that protects families and communities.
That’s especially important because the program helps address serious concerns, including misuse, potential abuse, and improper disposal of medications.
Today, MED-Project has established more than 1,300 safe disposal locations across New York State. That includes more than 930 secure drop boxes right here within the WAMC listening area. Many are conveniently located at familiar places, including nationally known retail chain pharmacies, independent pharmacies, local police departments, hospitals, and even some grocery stores with onsite pharmacies.
Not every location participates, but finding one near you is easy. Just visit www DOT med hyphen project DOT org (med–project.org) and search by ZIP code.
And if the weather makes it challenging to get out, MED-Project also offers free mail-back packages that can be sent directly to your home. Just place your unwanted medications in the pre-paid envelope and drop it in your mailbox or any U.S. Postal Service mail drop. It will then go straight to a secure destruction facility.
You can find more information on the New York State Department of Health website using the keywords ‘Drug Take Back,’.
Now this is a 2026 resolution that’s truly simple, and one that we can all get behind.
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