ALTON - Chief Simmons would like to make the public aware that the Alton Police Department will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place October 22, 2016 from 10 am-2 pm. People can dispose of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications safely in the lobby of the Alton Police Department (1700 East Broadway, Alton).
Additional participating collection sites in every local community can be found by going to www.dea.gov . This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.
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The National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many people are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. In fact, in Madison County alone, 14,367,940 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills were legally sold in 2014. That is equivalent to 54 pills per every Madison County resident! Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarming, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Nationally, 41 people die every day from prescription overdoses. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.
“Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem that often has devastating consequences. This is a great opportunity for our residents to help reduce the threat particularly to our youth,” Chief Simmons said. "Please take a moment, clean out your medicine cabinet and help us keep our community safe from prescription drug abuse.”
In the last Take-Back event, the DEA collected 893,498 pounds of unwanted medicines that is about 447 tons at approximately 5,400 participating sites spread through all 50 states nationwide.
Lt. Stinnett added, “We are acutely aware of the connection between prescription drug misuse/abuse and heroin. Proper medication disposal is a way for us all to work together to reduce access to these highly addictive substances.
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