Pam Dudding –
Burch Contributing writer
Nobody would want a loved one or small child to get ahold of old prescription drugs and take them. To prevent this from happening, on Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, the Craig Prevention Planning Team (CPPT) and the Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition (RAYSAC) will be hosting an ‘Rx- Prescription Drug Take Back’.
Sheriff Trevor Craddock will be set up in the parking lot in front of Market Street Pharmacy at Food Country in New Castle. “Turn in your unused or expired medications for safe disposal,” the team shared.
“The Rx Take Back is a very important event and helps make a big difference in Craig County,” JD Carlin shared. “As part of this program, various medicines and other drugs are removed in a safe way from the community.” Carlin is a Prevention Specialist at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare and a part of the Coalition Team.
These are drugs that can easily be abused or taken incorrectly by youth and/or others. Carlin and Craddock also added that this program makes sure that the drugs collected are properly disposed. “However, we do not take sharps ‘needles or syringes’ and we do not take any medical equipment, only unwanted or unused drugs are allowed,” Craddock said.
It is a noted fact that drug abuse, especially prescription drug abuse, is increasing nationally. “Making sure these drugs are out of the community lowers access and could, in fact, save lives,” Carlin shared. “By collecting these drugs, we make sure they are not simply flushed down the toilet as many people think is the right thing to do, but in fact puts the drugs into the water system.”
The ‘Drug Take Back’ is sponsored by; The Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition, Western Virginia Water Authority U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Prevention Council of Roanoke County Botetourt County Sheriff’s Department, Roanoke Police Department, Craig County Sheriff’s Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Roanoke County Sheriff’s Department Roanoke County Police Department, Salem Police Department, Roanoke Valley Academy of Medicine, Vinton Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Virginia Got Drugs?.
In conclusion, Carlin stated, “We want to make sure we let people know that if they do have to keep prescription drugs in their home, we are asking them to make sure those medicines are locked up or, at minimum, put away and made hard to find.”
For additional drug disposal sites in your area, visit http://www.dea.gov. “In short, collecting these drugs makes the Craig County community safer!” Carlin shared. “No appointment is necessary and no questions will be asked at the event.”