CITIZENS TURN OUT FOR “DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY”

  

Washington county residents came out to the annual National DEA Prescription Drug Take-back Day last Friday to dispose of their unused and expired medications.  Officials at the Brenham Police Department estimate a total of 225 lbs were collected, making the event the most successful collection effort to date.

The initiative, hosted by Brenham PD, is in partnership with the DEA to help reduce prescription pill abuse and protect both the environment and the public from the harm caused by improper disposal methods.  The medications collected varied from over-the-counter drugs to opioids and other controlled substances.

The DEA is not expected to host another collection day this year, but staff at the Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BVCASA) are working with local law enforcement and coalitions across the country to increase access to pill disposal services.  In the meantime, BVCASA staff advise residents to make sure their medications are monitored and secured to prevent misuse by others. 

According to results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 2.4 million Americans used prescription drugs nonmedically for the first time within the past year, which averages to approximately 6,600 initiates per day.

(Story & Photo courtesy: Angela Hahn, Brenham Police Department)