Operation Medicine drop provides the public with a way to safely dispose of medications that they no longer need. Improper disposal could result in adverse effects on the environment or become accessible to pets or children which could be fatal. Duplin County currently has 4 medication drop boxes, each being at either a sheriff's department or police department.

Two out of the four locations have monitored the poundage of medications dropped off, therefore the data shown is not a true total for the county nor a proper indicator of progress. However, in an initiative to promote safe medication disposal, it has become a goal to work with the county drop off locations to begin keeping records of how many pounds of medications are dropped off to them so that we may show the scale this program has in our county.

What's hurting:

• Public unaware of potential dangers of inappropriately disposing of medications
• Not enough community awareness of program or drop-off locations
• Key partners not advertising 
• Lack of data

What' helping:

• Plans to increase awareness of program
• Free program to dispose of meds
• Handheld flyers available to give to public with necessary info
• Website available with easy map access of locations near user

Duplin County Law Enforcement Offices

Duplin County Health Department

Duplin County Substance Use Coalition

Office of State Fire Marshall

Duplin County Environmental Health

• All locations in Duplin monitoring poundage dropped off
• Educate public on program and it's importance
• Program availability awareness through community partners

• Initiate more community awareness events for local drop boxes for population through outreach events, community partners, social media, word of mouth, etc.
• Educate public on the importance of safe medication disposal and it's effect on the environment and their health
• Remind operation sites to keep records of poundages 

Each site currently does not monitor the amount of pounds collected each time medications are dropped off, however one initiative is to work with and encourage all locations to begin keeping a record of this data so that we may be able to trend the data to show the positive effect this program has on the county.