Kendall Regional Medical Center and Mercy Hospital have joined forces to host the “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back event on September 7. Law enforcement officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department and the City of Miami Police Department will be on-site to assist with the collection and disposal of unused medications.
The purpose of “Crush the Crisis” is to provide Miami-Dade County residents a safe, confidential way to dispose of unused or expired opioid medications. Volunteers will collect tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). Needles, syringes, lancets or liquids will not be accepted.
“Crush the Crisis” will take place on September 7, and Miami-Dade County residents have an option of two collection sites:
- Kendall Regional Medical Center at 11760 SW 40th Street, Miami, FL 33175 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Mercy Hospital at 3663 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33133 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
“Opioid addiction is a growing crisis not only in Miami-Dade County, but across our nation,” said Dr. Manuel Anton, Chief Medical Officer at Kendall Regional Medical Center. “Our goal for ‘Crush the Crisis’ is to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid addiction and educate our community about the proper disposal of these medications.
Dr. Mark Multach, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Hospital, agrees. “Narcotics, or opioids, are highly addictive and hurt people around us every day. ‘Crush the Crisis’ is a first step in helping our friends, families, and communities live a better life.”
In 2017, there were more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in the U.S.–an age-adjusted rate of 21.7 per 100,000 persons. Among these, 47,600 involved opioids. The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased significantly in Florida by 5.9 percent from 2016 (23.7 per 100,000) to 2017 (25.1 per 100,000).
Kendall Regional Medical Center and Mercy Hospital are two of more than 65 HCA Healthcare facilities nationwide hosting opioid take back events on September 7.