Wellness Center Offers Free Medication Disposal

The University’s initiative is a step toward reducing drug-related health risks and making the local community safer

Police stations and select pharmacies have long been among the only places to legally drop off unwanted medications. Now, there is another option.

Sacred Heart University’s wellness center recently launched a one-of-a-kind medication drop-off program. The center has partnered with Stericycle, a company that manufactures safe and sustainable medication mail-back envelopes, to offer students a new way to dispose of unwanted medications.

James Geisler, executive director of wellness services at SHU, is particularly excited about the University’s new initiative. “Today, it is not uncommon for many college students to use some kind of prescribed medication, and the unfortunate byproduct of this is a growing risk of suicide attempts, overdoses and misuse on campuses nationwide,” he said. “With this new service, students will be able to obtain an envelope from our office and drop off their unwanted or unused medications at SHUPAD, ending the potential for unnecessary use.”

Geisler is proud that SHU is setting a new standard as one of the only college campuses around the nation with this type of program. “The only place students can go to drop medications off is traditionally police stations or pharmacies. And for me, an annual drug take-back event is not enough. We wanted to offer students a service that requires no travel, no cost and most importantly, no hassle,” he said.

The new initiative is another testament to the University’s ongoing commitment to combating collegiate overdoses, improving campus mental well-being and making the local community a safer space.

Karen Flanagan, director of prevention, education and early intervention services at SHU, offered her take on how the program will help make the community safer. “When you remove barriers and make it convenient and easy for students to take action right on campus, they are more likely to engage in protective behaviors,” she said. “This program reduces the likelihood of dangerous misuse of medications by simply removing access. When you take these medications out of circulation, you remove the risk associated with them.”

Jeffrey LaBella, director of counseling and collegiate recovery at SHU, said this type of program is crucial in supporting community health. “By providing a safe and secure way to dispose of unused or expired medications, we are reducing access to potentially harmful substances and taking a proactive approach to suicide prevention,” he said. “Ensuring that students have a responsible means to remove excess medication from their environment aligns with our broader commitment to fostering a campus culture of safety, support and mental health awareness.”