Opioid Epidemic: Somerville Prescription Drug Take-Back Saturday

SOMERVILLE, MA - Drop your old prescription drugs off at the Somerville fire station or the public safety building on Saturday to honor National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

The purpose of the day is to provide a "convenient and safe" way for residents to dispose of drugs and discourage abuse.

Residents are invited to bring drugs for disposal to: the Somerville Public Safety Building at 220 Washington Street; the Somerville Fire Department at 220 Broadway; or the Somerville Fire Department at 6 Newbury Street.

Liquids cannot be accepted and personal information should be removed from all bottles. 

The opioid epidemic has taken the Commonwealth by storm, and legislators on both the local and state levels have been taking action to fight back against the disease of addiction.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's most recent data which accounts for opioid-related overdose deaths from January 2012 to December 2014, there were 24 opioid-related overdose deaths in Somerville during that time span. Four deaths were recorded in 2012, eight in 2013 and 12 in 2014.

From the years 2000 to 2014, Middlesex County saw 1,634 opioid-related deaths, 238 of which were recorded in 2014 alone. The 2014 figure breaks down to an average of 4.4 opioid-related deaths per city and town in the county.

Middlesex County has had the most opioid-related deaths out of any county in the Commonwealth between 2000 and 2014.

Joe Lipovich (Patch Staff) contributed to this report

Photo via Wikimedia Commons