Fayette County Authorities, the DEA and Kroger are coming together this weekend for a prescription drug take-back event.
This will be the community's 16th opportunity in 8 years to prevent prescription drug abuse by ridding their homes of any unwanted or unnecessary and potentially dangerous prescriptions.
Members of the Fayette County Sheriff's Office and Fayette County Community Action's Faith in Recovery Coalition will be accepting drugs for disposal at the Fayette County Sheriff's Annex at 110 W. Market Street in Washington CH, and in the parking lot of the Clinton Avenue Kroger from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. this Saturday, October 27th. The service is free and no questions are asked as they just want the drugs off the street.
Last spring, Americans turned in 475 tons (over 949,046 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,700 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 15 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 10 million pounds, more than 5,000 tons of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. 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, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, both pose potential safety and health hazards.
As a reminder, expired, unused, or unwanted medications can also be dropped off at any time day or night throughout the year by utilizing the drop-off container located in the lobby area of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office/Jail building located at 113 E. Market Street in Washington Court House.