All 150 vouchers for free Owen Sound Attack tickets, available as part of a recent medication-return campaign, were claimed within just 36 hours.

The “Attacking Medication Misuse” campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the proper way to dispose of expired and no-longer-needed pharmaceuticals, saw Grey-Bruce residents return more than 230 bottles and packages of medicine to Rexall Pharma Plus on 2nd Avenue East in Owen Sound in exchange for the free-ticket vouchers.

A variety of medicines were returned, from opioids and sedatives to antibiotics and inhalers.

“We set two new records for this campaign since bringing it back in 2023. This year, we not only ran out of available Owen Sound Attack tickets in record time, but we also collected the most medications,” says Monica Blair, Manager of Grey Bruce Public Health’s Harm Reduction program.

“But the real win was being able to raise community awareness that returning medications to a pharmacy is the best, safest, and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of pills and other medications that have expired or are no longer required.” 

The ‘Attacking Medication Misuse’ campaign is a partnership between Grey Bruce Public Health, the Owen Sound Attack, and Rexall Pharma Plus in downtown Owen Sound.

The campaign began Nov. 21 and was set to end on Nov. 28 or when all Owen Sound Attack tickets were claimed.

About 170 packages of medications were returned during last year’s campaign, while 120 medications were collected as part of the 2023 campaign.

All pharmacies will accept old or unused medications year-round and ensure they are disposed of properly and in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.