TOP STORY OF THE DAY - 25th Annual ‘Prescription Drug Take Back’ initiative

IVY JACOBS PHOTO - On April 22, the Clay County Health Department, Brazil City Police, and Clay County Sheriff’s Office worked together during a busy Drug Take Back Day site on North Walnut Street at the health department drive-thru in the parking lot.

The Indiana State Police partners each October with the Drug Enforcement Agency nationwide to pick up unwanted medications. The Fall event is scheduled for Saturday, October 28.

This marks the 25th year of the “Take Back” initiative to prevent prescription drug abuse by properly disposing of unwanted or outdated medications.

This service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked at collection sites set up nationwide for the event, which happens twice a year.

The program collects liquid and pill medications and vaping pens without batteries; the vaping cartridges will also be taken. However, new or used needles are NOT accepted for disposal.

Many of these medications have been flushed down toilets in the past, thinking this was a safe way of disposal.

In recent years, this was discovered to create potential safety and health hazards for the public and the environment.

With prescription drug misuse, accidental poisonings, and overdoses in the U.S. reaching alarmingly high levels, studies have shown that most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends or inside their home medicine cabinets.

The Indiana State Police Post in Putnamville (along U.S. 40) will have their collection site on Friday, October 27, 2023, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Clay County Health Department, Brazil City Police, and Clay County Sheriff’s Office work together to have a local site for residents. Details about the fall event’s time, date, and location still need to be completed. In the spring of this year, a site was set up on North Walnut at the health department. The Times will publish the site details when made available.