Community leaders in Butte urge people to dispose of prescription pharmaceuticals safely

Butte, Montana – Community leaders in Butte are urging residents to properly dispose of any leftover prescription medicine that may be in their homes.

People are encouraged to dispose of their drugs in designated containers at the Butte Sheriff’s Office and the Southwest Montana Community Health Center, according to Father Patrick Beretta and others.

He claims that kids and teenagers frequently steal these drugs, which can result in addiction or unintentional overdose.

It is simple for someone to forget they have unused prescription drugs in their home, according to Beretta.

“I had forgotten I had it, I only used half of one and it was so powerful it scared me and I stopped using it, but I didn’t get rid of it. So it reminded me that we have very, very dangerous prescription medication in our homes,” said Beretta.

Additionally, it is advised that people refrain from flushing their medications because they may contaminate the groundwater and harm the environment.

The medication is securely burned by law enforcement.