“Prescription Drug Take-Back” initiative Saturday at hospital

FILE PHOTO: Pictured are St. Vincent Clay Hospital pharmacy supervisor Sarah Cox and Brazil Police Det. Graig Bass during the 2018 “Prescription Drug Take-Back” event at the hospital.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s 18th nationwide “Prescription Drug Take-Back” initiative is Saturday, and local residents who want to participate can do so at St. Vincent Clay Hospital from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 

The Drug Take-Back events are the safe, popular and responsible way for the public to legally and dispose of prescription drugs. No questions asked.

St. Vincent Clay Hospital and Brazil Police Department have partnered for several years to provide a local collection site in the area.

The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs. 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.

Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — pose both potential safety and health hazards.

Free collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.

This is the second of two annual events scheduled each year.

This program is for both liquid and pill medications. Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be taken.

However, needles and insulin lancets, new or used, will not be accepted for disposal.  

BPD officials who help with the initiative personally drive the collection boxes to a site where they will be disposed of properly by the DEA. Each year numerous boxes are filled in an excess of 200-300 pounds of unwanted prescription medications.

The Indiana State Police also partners with the DEA to provide drop off locations throughout the state at any Indiana State Police Post (except the Toll Road Post).

Other local drop off locations within 25 miles include:

• Indiana State Police Putnamville Post

• Greencastle Police Department

• Greencastle High School

• Spencer Police Department

To find other locations in Indiana or across the U.S. participating in the Drug Take-Back initiative, log onto https://takebackday.dea.gov.