On Saturday, September 25, from 10am - 2pm, the DEA, Jackson County Sheriff's Department, and the Jackson County Anti Drug Coalition are partnering to hold Jackson County's FIRST prescription drug take back program.
Residents can drop unused, unwanted, and expired medications into secure lock boxes provided by the DEA. Other than a brief survey of how you heard about the event, there will be no questions asked. The lock box will then be picked up by DEA officials and properly disposed of by incineration. Residents are asked to mark out any personal and/or identifiable information on pill bottles or boxes.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.
“The Prescription Drug Take Back day provides a safe way for our community to dispose of the unwanted medicines they have in their homes,” said DEA Washing Special Agent in Charge Ava A. Cooper-Davis. “It is an alarming statistic that nearly one in five teens has tried prescription medication to get high. Working together with all of our partners, this effort will help to eliminate a major source of abused prescription drugs, and reduce the hazard they pose to our families in a safe, legal, and environmentally sound way.”
For more information on this event, please contact the Sheriff’s Department at 304-373-2290 or Amy Haskins at 304-372-2634.
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