The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
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Wednesday, September 26, 2012
By K.A. WAGONER - Staff Writer
Local police officers will be collecting unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications for proper disposal on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at six county locations.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Rocky Mount Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will collect medications at Kroger at Westlake, Kroger in Rocky Mount, Carilion Franklin Memorial Medical Building, Family Pharmacy, Ferrum Rescue Squad and The Medicine Shoppe, according to Lt. Todd Maxey with the sheriff's office.
The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked, Maxey said.
"This collection day will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs," Maxey said.
Giving Soles 2 Souls donation boxes will be located at each site on Saturday. Monetary donations, as well as new footwear, will be accepted. The shoes will be distributed to children who have been identified as having a need for the shoes at Thanksgiving, Maxey said.
Last April at Drug Take Back Days throughout the nation, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds -- 276 tons -- of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In its four previous Take Back events, the DEA and its partners took in over 1.5 million pounds -- nearly 775 tons -- of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue, according to the DEA. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, 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, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines -- flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash -- both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The local event is a collaborative effort by the Rocky Mount Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff's Office, FRESH (Focus on Response and Education to Stay Healthy) Coalition, and CHILL (Communities Helping Improve Local Lives) Youth Task Force.
For more information, call 540-493-6875 or your local law enforcement agency. |
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