Tosans turn in more than 290 pounds of medicine

Wauwatosa residents dropped off more than 292 pounds of over-the-counter medications and 6,000 pills that are considered controlled substances during a medication collection Saturday at City Hall.

The collection was a joint effort between parent-teacher group Tosa United and the Police and Health departments. The goal is to keep pills out of the hands of children and drug abusers and out of the local water supply.

People dropped off cough syrups, inhalers, syringes and pills, officer Jeff Griffin said.

A pharmacist from Walgreens volunteered to identify all the medications. The Health Department provided grant funds to dispose of the medications; the police had to be on hand because controlled substances were involved.