Drug Take Back day at several Douglas County locations

Submitted by paula on Tue, 10/04/2016 - 1:38pm
Event Date: 
October 22, 2016 (All day)

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency in hosting a Drug Take Back on Saturday, October 22, 2016. This will be the public’s 12th opportunity in the County over the last six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding your home of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. You can drop off your pet medications also.

Bring your pills for disposal at the following locations between 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

• East Fork Fire Station #12, 3620 N. Sunridge Drive (north Douglas County )

• East Fork Fire Station #4, 1476 Albite Road (Topaz Ranch Estates – South County)
• Walgreen’s, 1342 N. Hwy 395 Gardnerville
• DCSO Tillman substation, 1281 Kimmerling Rd, Gardnerville
• Safeway Grocery Store, 212 Elks Point Road, Roundhill (Lake Tahoe)

The DEA cannot accept needles or sharps. Only pills, patches or liquids will be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last April, Americans turned in 447 tons (over 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its previous TAKE BACK event, DEA and its partners took in 6.4 million pounds.

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 US are alarmingly high, as are the numbers 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. In addition, Americans are not advised that their usual methods for disposing of medicines such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 22 TAKE BACK event, go to the DEA Diversion website or contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Sgt. Bernadette Smith (775) 782-9931.