Sterling Heights community first in area to host drug take back

Sterling Heights — Every 12 minutes, someone in the United States dies from overdosing on prescription drugs. It’s an epidemic that has law enforcement, doctors and civic leaders deeply concerned.

At least one Catholic priest is concerned, too.

“Young people are rifling through grandma’s medicine chest; we need to keep our medicine in safe places and properly dispose of them when we are finished with them,” said Fr. Michael Quaine, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Sterling Heights. “I kept thinking, ‘How many folks are in the same situation, having these drugs lurking in their homes? They are there for theft, poisoning our children, our grandchildren.”

So, with the help of his parish community, Fr. Quaine and St. Michael Parish teamed up with the Sterling Height Police Department and Operation Rx, a Macomb County nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting drug addiction, to facilitate a collection for National Drug Take Back Day.

In one afternoon, parishioners and community members safely dispensed of 260 pounds of unused medications and 79 pounds of plastic co



ntainers.

The way Mark Kilgore sees it, that’s 260 fewer pounds of drugs that could lead to an opioid addition, be sold on the streets, or fall into the hands of children.

“Macomb County has the most drug overdoses in the state, and prescription drugs are a big part of the problem,” said Kilgore, program coordinator for Greater Macomb Project Vox, which works with Operation Rx to coordinate the take-back day. “We find often an addiction to prescription drugs turns into an addiction to heroin. The fact is, people don’t want to talk about drug problems in Macomb County, and they assume it’s a ‘big city’ problem, but it’s the elephant in the room nobody wants to talk about.”

Kilgore said St. Michael was one of the first Catholic parishes to participate in the national program, which is important considering the impact of drugs in Macomb County, which leads the state in overdose-related deaths, according to a recent report by the Michigan Department of Health.

Project Vox is dedicated to removing the stigma associated with drug addiction by bringing the problem to light, Kilgore said, and by raising awareness of permanent drug take-back stations.

Fr. Quaine said he saw a way for the Church to take a leading role on the issue after watching a film clip on the dangers of prescription drugs.

“During the cholera epidemic in the 19th century, it was stopped by a priest working with a doctor,” Fr. Quaine said. “Medical personnel, scientists, lawyers and police reach a narrow group, it seems, but people trust their pastors when they say, ‘These are my concerns.’ There’s definitely a need here to talk about this issue.”

For those who missed the take-back day, Project Vox and the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department have permanent dispensaries throughout the county.

Michelle Hayes, a Christian service minister at St. Michael who helped organize the drug take-back, said the parish came together with other Macomb County religious communities under Fr. Quaine’s leadership to form a faith-based team with Operation Rx.

“It’s exciting to bring something new to our parishioners and something that protects them,” Hayes said. “We need to protect seniors from having these drugs stay in their medicine cabinets, where they can be stolen, and protect children from so easily getting them. It’s so rewarding to know we’re doing this type of justice in the community.”

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Dispose of unused prescriptions

Visit www.operationrx.com to find a list of Macomb County drug disposal sites.