Agenda Text
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Supporting the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 30 as part of the citys effort to promote awareness and stamp out stigma.
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Official Text
WHEREAS: Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, with the potential to lead to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse; and
WHEREAS: Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision; and
WHEREAS: The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family, friends, or their home medicine cabinet; and
WHEREAS: Overdoses from prescription drugs spike in the months of May and June, increasing the importance of timely and proper disposal of unused medications before that time period; and
WHEREAS: Somerville Cares About Prevention has been working in our community for nearly 17 years to promote, through collaboration, a healthy community free of substance abuse for youth and those who live in, work in, and/or visit Somerville; and
WHEREAS: Somerville Cares About Prevention has brought together broad sectors of the community - including substance abuse counselors, government and local officials, youth serving organizations and others - to decrease alcohol, drug use, and tobacco use in our city; and
WHEREAS: The Somerville Police Department has partnered with Somerville Cares About Prevention in previous years to host a drop off location for prescription drugs; and
WHEREAS: The federal Drug Enforcement Agency has declared Saturday April 30, 2016 as National Prescription Drug Take-back Day; NOW THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED: That the City of Somerville joins municipal governments and law enforcement agencies from all across the United States and does hereby proclaim Saturday April 30, 2016 as “Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” in the City of Somerville; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED: That the Somerville Police Department provide a prescription drug drop box in the lobby that is available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, effectively making every day “Prescription Drug Take-Back Day” in the City of Somerville.