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On June 14, 2016, the Board of Health of the Snohomish Health District adopted a pharmaceutical stewardship ordinance (PDF) to establish a convenient secure medicine return system for residents that:
- Expands safe medicine disposal options for Snohomish County residents to reduce risks of misuse,poisonings, and overdoses from leftover and expired medicines, and reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals entering sewer, septic, and solid waste systems.
- Improves convenience for residents by expanding locations of secure drop boxes from law enforcement offices to pharmacies and hospitals, as now allowed under DEA regulations.
- Ensures financial sustainability through a pharmaceutical industry-financed system providing sufficient resources to promote the program and handle larger volumes of returned medicines, and that relieves burdens on local government agencies and taxpayers.