<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Century Gothic";
panose-1:2 11 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Header Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.HeaderChar
{mso-style-name:"Header Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:Header;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:200166813;
mso-list-template-ids:-2002343520;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:261645209;
mso-list-template-ids:1568701836;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">Sent on behalf of Ohio Department of Aging<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>---<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="318" valign="bottom" style="width:238.15pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><img width="238" height="48" style="width:2.4791in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image004.png@01D58819.F56C67E0"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017"><br>
Ursel J. McElroy</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017">, </span>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#777777">Director</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td width="258" valign="bottom" style="width:193.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017"><br>
Mike DeWine</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017">,</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">
<span style="color:#777777">Governor</span></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td width="331" valign="bottom" style="width:248.6pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:right"><img width="350" height="48" style="width:3.6458in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image005.jpg@01D58819.F56C67E0"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017"> Lori Criss</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#700017">,
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#777777">Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><br>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> – Oct 21, 2019 <br>
<br>
Contacts: Aging - Beth Gianforcaro, (614) 644-6230, <a href="mailto:bgianforcaro@age.ohio.gov">
<span style="color:blue">bgianforcaro@age.ohio.gov</span></a><br>
MHAS - Eric Wandersleben, (614) 728-5090, <a href="mailto:Eric.Wandersleben@mha.ohio.gov">
<span style="color:blue">Eric.Wandersleben@mha.ohio.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Video message from Directors McElroy and Criss:</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
<a href="https://youtu.be/j8Toc1xrQw8">https://youtu.be/j8Toc1xrQw8</a> <br>
<i>Radio/podcast partners:</i> <a href="https://aging.sharefile.com/d-s7e9a1d649d84a71a">
<span style="color:blue">Download audio clips on this topic from the directors.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">State agencies encourage older adults, families, to take advantage of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center">
<i><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Keeping unneeded medications increases risks of misuse and abuse<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Columbus, Ohio</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> – The Ohio Department of Aging and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services encourage all Ohioans
to take advantage of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. Locations around the state will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accept pills for proper disposal. The service is free and anonymous.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">“Keeping medications past their usefulness can be dangerous because time can change how some medications work,” said Lori Criss, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health
and Addiction Services. “Medications that you no longer take or that have passed the expiration date on their labels should be disposed of promptly and properly.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">“Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by removing unused medications from your home,” added Ursel J. McElroy, director of the Ohio Department of Aging. “National Prescription
Take-Back Day provides a convenient and safe way to do so.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Further, methods traditionally used to dispose of drugs, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, can pose potential safety and health hazards.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is held twice each year. Visit
<a href="http://www.DEATakeBack.com"><span style="color:blue">www.DEATakeBack.com</span></a> to find a collection site near you. Sites will accept most pills and patches. They cannot accept liquids or needles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">If you are unable to visit a collection site on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the departments recommend these tips for safe disposal:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Contact your pharmacy. Tell your pharmacist the name of the medications that you wish to dispose of and ask about the most appropriate means of disposal;</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Follow any specific disposal instructions on the package or Drug Facts labels of non-prescription medications;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Do not flush any medications down the sink or toilet or throw them in the trash unless the package or your doctor or pharmacist specifically instructs you to do so;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">For medications that can be thrown in the trash, mix them with an undesirable substance, such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds, then place the mixture into a sealable bag, bottle or container;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Do not crush tablets or capsules that will be thrown in the trash; and
<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt">For medications that cannot be flushed or thrown in the trash, check with local pharmacies, law enforcement agencies, or trash and recycling providers about medication disposal guidelines and options such as drop boxes in your
community.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Visit
<a href="http://www.aging.ohio.gov/medicationsafety"><span style="color:blue">www.aging.ohio.gov/medicationsafety</span></a> for additional medication tips and resources for older adults.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>