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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.goskagit.com/news/skagit-county-approves-secure-medication-drop-boxes/article_e15fc68d-12c0-5ff3-bf9f-00d0fc523c8c.html">https://www.goskagit.com/news/skagit-county-approves-secure-medication-drop-boxes/article_e15fc68d-12c0-5ff3-bf9f-00d0fc523c8c.html</a>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="518" height="353" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image009.jpg@01D3AC9A.D602B8C0" alt="Prescription medication"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p>MOUNT VERNON — Skagit County commissioners voted Wednesday to place secure drop boxes for prescription drugs at sites throughout the county.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The secure medication return program will consist of drop-off locations at places such as pharmacies and hospitals, as well as allow for secure mailing of unused prescription drugs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson said the program will make disposing of opioids more convenient. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Public Health collected public comment from Jan. 29 to Feb. 20, and each response was in favor of the program, Johnson said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>At Wednesday's public hearing, commissioners Ron Wesen and Ken Dahlstedt voted for the ordinance to enact the program. Commissioner Lisa Janicki was absent. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Margaret Shield, a consultant with Community Environmental Health Strategies, said six other counties in the state have similar ordinances.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Pharmaceutical companies will foot the bill for the program.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Shield said pharmaceutical companies initially pushed back against funding the programs, but backed down after losing a federal court battle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>MED-Project, the organization created by pharmaceutical companies to operate medication return programs, is sponsored by 400 drug manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The organization now has six months to draft and submit a plan to Skagit County detailing how it will collect and dispose of the prescription drugs, Shield said. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Public Health will then review the plan and return it for edits. Shield expects the process to take about a year. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:#221D4D">Heidi Sanborn
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#221D4D">|</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:#221D4D"> Executive Director</span></b><span lang="FR-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#31005A"> O: (916) 706-3420 </span><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#221D4D">|</span><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:#221D4D">
</span><span style="color:#31005A">C: (916) 217-1109</span><span lang="FR-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#31005A"> </span>
</b><u><span style="color:#31005A"><a href="mailto:heidi@calpsc.org">heidi@calpsc.org</a></span></u><span style="color:#31005A">
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