She encourages everyone to check their homes for any unwanted, unused or expired medications and dispose of them safely at a government-designated collection site. Too often, she said, drugs are found in medicine cabinets and drawers and stolen by family members or by strangers during open houses.
Saturday’s event highlights the need to stop abuse opportunities, but drop-off sites remain at some area locations year-round.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet.
Common methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — pose potential safety and health hazards, officials said.
Duritsch said everyone should know the amount of prescription medications in their homes to reduce the risk of possible theft.
“People take them and abuse them,” said Duritsch, who added that vaping materials are being collected, and batteries will be disposed of properly.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and there are drop off locations throughout Butler County. If you are unable to participate during Saturday’s event, the Drug Enforcement Administration has provided a year-round tool to locate sites for disposing of prescription medications safely at takebackday.dea.gov.
Pills should be removed from containers and placed in a zipper-lock storage bag for disposal. Liquids, powders and needles are not accepted. Following the events, representatives from the DEA will collect and safely dispose of the medications collected.
Last fall, Americans turned in more than 937,000 pounds of prescription drugs at more than 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 sites operated by their state and local law enforcement. Overall, in its 17 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11.8 million pounds — nearly 5,900 tons — of pills.
U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) encouraged Ohioans to participate in the drug take back day.
“Addiction isn’t an individual problem or a character flaw, it’s a disease – a disease that all too often starts in the family medicine cabinet,” Brown said in a press release. “That’s why this DEA-sponsored Drug Take Back Day is so important in Ohio. All prescription medications — especially addictive opioid painkillers — should be disposed of safely to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.”
Portman said four out of five people addicted to opioids start out using prescription drugs.
“Safely disposing of unused prescription drugs is critical tool in our efforts to stop opioid abuse,” he said.
While not part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, 1,500 pounds of unused medications have been securely disposed of in receptacles at Premier Health hospitals since the units were installed last year.
As part of its ongoing effort to combat opioid addiction, Premier Health received support for the receptacles from PNC to assist the community in safely disposing of unused medications at several sites across the Miami Valley, including the front lobby beside the gift shop at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown. The receptacles are open to the public at all times.
BUTLER COUNTY DRUG TAKE BACK DAY LOCATIONS
Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Kroger Marketplace, 7300 Yankee Road, Liberty Twp.
West Chester Police Department, Walgreens, 7804 Cincinnati Dayton Road
Middletown Police Department, One Donham Plaza
Liberty Twp. Princeton Glendale Fire Station, 6682 Princeton Glendale Road
Fairfield Twp. Police Department, 6485 Vonnie Vale Court
Fairfield Police Department, 5230 Pleasant Ave.
Hamilton Police Department, 331 S. Front St.
Ross Twp. Police Department, 4055 Hamilton Cleves Road
City of Oxford, East Park Place and East High Street
SOURCE: Drug Enforcement Administration
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