People dropped off more than 210 pounds of unused, unwanted and expired medication to the Kent Police Department during Prescription Drug Take Back Day last Saturday, Oct. 26.
The collection was a nationwide effort spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and local authorities. The goal of the program is to provide a safe and secure environment for the community to turn in unused, expired or otherwise un-needed medications.
Some people brought in a few bottles, some brought in boxes of it, according to a Kent Police media release.
“Safe disposal is important because of how easy these medications can be abused by anyone of any age,” said detective Melanie Frazier.
Proper disposal is also safe for the environment.
Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused narcotic. The dangers posed by prescription medications have no boundaries. While more than 2.1 million teens report abusing prescription drugs, the elderly are also vulnerable to prescription misuse as they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts.
While most people take prescription medications responsibly, 48 million people have reported using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. This represents nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.
For more information about proper disposal or information on prevention prescription drug abuse, go to justthinktwice.com.
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