Do you have old prescription drugs or over the counter medicines to get rid of? If so, the Kent Police will offer a collection site Sept. 25.
Medications can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a collection site in front of the Kent Police station, 220 Fourth Ave. S.
The Kent Police are participating in the first Prescription Drug Take Back Day, 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 or expired medications.
“It’s our hope that this effort can safeguard the community from misuse of medication and that we can make this a regular event for our residents,” said Stacy Judd, a Kent Police public education specialist.
Medications that can be dropped off include:
• Controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines
• All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers
• Liquid products, such as cough syrup, cold medicines, etc…
Collections sites will be unable to collect:
• Intravenous solutions, injectibles, syringes, or medical waste
• Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine
Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused narcotic, preceded only by marijuana, according to a Kent Police media release.
More than 2.1 million teens report abusing prescription drugs and among 12 to 13 year olds, prescription drugs are the drug of choice. Most teens obtain the drugs they abuse from the family medicine cabinet.
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 nonmedical reasons. This represents nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.
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