The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Newton Fire Department and the Youth Prevention Awareness Coalition will host a drive-thru prescription drug drop from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29, at the Newton Fire Department.
There are more than 3 million prescription drug abusers in the United States, and teens abuse prescription drugs more than any illicit drug except marijuana. One third of all new abusers of prescription drugs are 12 to 17 years old and prescription drugs are the drug of choice among 12 to 13 year olds.
“Prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse is a growing problem because the drugs are easy to get, easy to use and cause addiction,” said Amy Blasius, prevention specialist at employee and Family Resources.
Seventy percent of prescription medication abusers report getting their medications from friends and family. Often times these medications are old or left over medications that people forget about or don’t know how to get rid of safely.
“These medicines can be easily stolen in the privacy of a bathroom by family, friends, even strangers attending an open house or garage sale and using the bathroom,” Blasius said.
The prescription drug drop allows people to dispose of their medications in an environmentally safe way as opposed to flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash and helps prevent drug abuse. All prescriptions will remain confidential. Keep all medications in their original container and mark out any identifying information.
Medications accepted include prescription and over-the-counter medications, medication samples, pet medications, vitamins/supplements/homeopathics, ointments/lotions/creams/oils/soaps.
Medications not accepted include needles/sharps/syringes with needles, aerosols or pressurized containers, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide, illicit substances.