CLEVELAND — It might seem easy to toss old medications in the trash, but health experts warn that improper disposal can have dire consequences.

Thousands of hospitals, medical centers, government offices and police stations are rounding up pharmaceutical drugs this Saturday. These spaces are serving as collection sites as they join the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in celebrating its 27th annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

“[It’s] just like changing the batteries in your smoke detectors, changing clocks and things. Just a seasonal thing, as a reminder to go through your old, unused, unwanted or expired medications,” said David Streem, the medical director of alcohol and drug recovery at Cleveland Clinic.

This year, like every year, Streem is warning Americans of the dangers of improper disposal of medicines, which he said can increase chances of misuse, poisonings and even overdose.

“The number of people dying of opiate overdoses in northeast Ohio and around the country is declining,” Steam said. “So, that's a good thing, but it's still is much higher than what it was 10 years ago.”

Recent data from the CDC records around 45 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 population in Ohio. (Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Ohio remains among the top 10 states for drug overdose fatalities, according to the CDC’s most recent data. 

Clinical pharmacist Rachel Pierce said that’s why University Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are offering more than just drug collection this weekend.

“It's an incredibly critical, lifesaving medication to reduce the effects of opioids,” Pierce said. "So our pharmacists will teach you how to use Narcan, give you Narcan at no cost, as well as fentanyl test strips.”

With more than two decades of experience in the addiction field, Streem said National Prescription Drug Take Back Day efforts will continue to adapt to meet the community’s needs.

“Things have evolved very much over the last 10 years, sometimes really in dangerous directions, and sometimes things have been more encouraging and gotten safer,” Streem said. “So things are always changing. We don't really know what's going to be the next change.”