| By Jean Simers
A Prescription Drug Take Back is today from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Calhoun Committee on Aging - Senior Citizens Building, 105 Market Street; Grantsville. This will be Calhoun County's third such event.
The DEA is sponsoring this Take Back Program, along with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department, and the Calhoun County Substance Abuse Coalition with the United in Prevention grant.
Residents can drop unused, unwanted, and expired pills into boxes provided by the DEA. As required by the DEA, this is an anonymous drop off. Those dropping off medication will be asked to complete a short anonymous survey for the Calhoun County Substance Abuse Coalition. The box will then be properly disposed of by incineration.
WHAT TO BRING TO THE COLLECTION
* Expired or unwanted prescription medications
* Unneeded over-the-counter medicines<
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* Drugs that didn't work for you, a family member, or pet
* Drugs that are no longer used
* Medicine from deceased family members
* Unknown tablets and capsules
Leave all medicines in their original containers, if possible.
Studies show that a majority of 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.
"The Prescription Drug Take Back day provides a safe way for our community to dispose of the unwanted medicines they have in their homes," said DEA Washing Special Agent in Charge Ava A. Cooper-Davis. "It is an alarming statistic that nearly one in five teens has tried prescription medication to get high. Working together with all of our partners, this effort will help to eliminate a major source of abused prescription drugs, and reduce the hazard they pose to our families in a safe, legal, and environmentally sound way."
For more information on this event, please contact the Sheriff's Department at 304-354-6333 or the Calhoun County Substance Abuse Coalition/Calhoun Family Resource Network at 304-354-7177.
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