Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Frisbie Memorial Hospital will host HCA Healthcare’s sixth annual “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, to help raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications. The event, which coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, offers the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications before they fall into the wrong hands.
Last year – for the first time since 2018 – there was a decrease in national drug overdose deaths in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fatal drug overdoses in New Hampshire have fallen 15% in the 12 months ending in April 2024 from the same period a year before, compared to a 10% decline for the nation as a whole. However, prescription drug misuse remains a public health crisis in the United States.
“Our hospitals have cared for the Greater Seacoast and Rochester communities for decades, and our Crush the Crisis prescription drug take back day is a testament to this commitment,” said Brian Sanders, MD, chief medical officer of Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Frisbie Memorial Hospital. “By offering a safe and anonymous way to dispose of medications, reducing the risk of misuse and preventing potential harm, we are helping to create healthier tomorrows for the people who live and work in our community.”
Last year, more than 120 HCA Healthcare facilities from all 15 U.S. divisions partnered with local law enforcement. In total, approximately 13,136 pounds, equivalent to 9.02 million doses, of unused and expired prescription medications were collected.
Law enforcement officers from the Portsmouth and Rochester police departments 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). Ointments, lotions, drops, liquid medication in leak-proof containers, vape cartridges without batteries and pet medication also will be accepted. While all medications will be accepted, needles, syringes, lancets or illegal drugs will not be accepted.
“Crush the Crisis,” hosted by Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Frisbie Memorial Hospital, will take place from 10:00am to 2:00pm Saturday, Oct. 26, at the following locations:
Portsmouth Regional Hospital
Main parking lot
333 Borthwick Ave.
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Rochester Police Department
Main parking lot
23 Wakefield St.
Rochester, NH 03867
For more information, visit HCAhealthcare.com/crushthecrisis or call toll-free number at (833) 582-1970.