Safely get rid of unwanted prescription drugs

On October 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Bates County People for People Coalition, Butler Police Department, Bates County Sheriff’s Department, Bates County Health Center and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to the Bates County Health Center at 501 N. Orange St., Butler, MO. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds—188 tons—of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards. 

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Schaller at 660-679-4434 or Butler Police Department Lieutenant Randy Beshore at 660-679-6131.