BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Unused medications for a lot of people often sit somewhere in their homes. There is a fear it will land in the wrong hands, or even cause death.

It’s the reason behind the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and many people stepped up, and properly tossed out.

Tanya Brown is one of the many people in Baltimore dropping off what she no longer needs nor uses, bottles of old prescription medication.

“I thought it was important to get these old things out of my home and get them properly disposed of,” she says.

It’s a big push from the DEA’s Baltimore district office, where assistant special agent Don Hibbert, says we are in the midst of a serious epidemic.

“In 2015, 52,000 people died from an overdose, 33,000 of those were from opioids. That’s more that can fill the capacity of Camden Yards,” says Hibbert.

“When we think about commonly abused substances, we tend to think about: the heroine, cocaine, illegal drugs, but actually prescription and over the counter drugs are some of the most commonly abused substances in America,” says Dr. Leanna Wen, Baltimore City Commissioner of Health.

Read the entire story. 

BALTIMORE —Authorities have shut down a pain clinic in north Baltimore after police raided it this week. 

Offices of the Westside Medical Group in the 4400 block of Falls Road were closed Thursday. People who went to the door of the clinic Thursday afternoon found a notice that said, "The office of Dr. Kofi Shaw-Taylor is closed." The notice had phone numbers to call for help, including the Maryland Crisis Hotline, (800-422-0009), and the Baltimore City Health Department.

The Health Department issued a warning Tuesday after federal, state and local law enforcement shut down the clinic. 

"We sent out the alert in order to let our partners in law enforcement, in emergency departments, fire departments and EMS and other outreach workers know that there may be an increase in overdoses that are occurring," Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said.

 Read the entire story: www.wbaltv.com/article/city-braces-for-overdoses-after-pain-clinic-shut-down/9572370

Health officials warned a network of medical providers throughout Baltimore this week of a possible increase in drug overdoses and withdrawals among local patients after a pain management clinic in North Baltimore was raided and closed by federal and local law enforcement, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The Baltimore City Health Department heard Tuesday from local law enforcement officials that they had closed a health care provider's office, and health officials immediately began notifying hospital emergency rooms, emergency service providers, treatment centers and others.

"We are on high alert for instances that can lead to an increase in overdoses in the city," said Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City's health commissioner. "We monitor for all potential spikes."

Todd Edwards, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, confirmed that his agency partnered with Baltimore police — as well as Anne Arundel County police and the office of Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh — to raid the Westside Medical Group offices of Dr. Kofi Shaw-Taylor in the 4400 block of Falls Road about 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Read entire story.

This weekend is Mayor Catherine E. Pugh’s Spring Clean Up, which is a perfect reminder to take important steps to ensure that your home and community are healthy and safe. Zika season is right around the corner. Mosquitos can transmit Zika, West Nile, and other diseases, and the best way to prevent them is to stop them from breeding in the first place by removing any standing water from your property. Do a survey of your yard and make sure there are no empty flower pots, trash lids, or other containers that can harbor standing water. If you need assistance to eliminate standing water in your neighborhood, call 311 to report it.

Spring cleaning is also a good time to clean out your medicine cabinet. This Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, and today, I joined Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Don Hibbert, and other leaders across the city to encourage residents to safely dispose of unused medications at one of the 10 permanent take-back boxes located at police stations across the city. Residents can drop off unused and unwanted medications year-round, no questions asked.