BATES COUNTY HEALTH CENTER AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TAKING
BACK UNWANTED, UNUSED OR EXPIRED DRUGS October 26, 2013
Butler,
MO – On October 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Bates County Health
Center, local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
will give the public its seventh opportunity in three years to prevent pill
abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired,
unused, and unwanted drugs. Bring your
medications for disposal to Bates County Health Center at 501 N. Orange St. in
Butler. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The Health Center is unable to accept
unwanted, unused or expired drugs at any time other than the specified event
date of October 26, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you are unable to bring your unwanted, unused or expired drugs to
this event, they may be dropped off at any time in the permanent drug take back
box located at the Butler Police Department, 309 N. Fulton in Butler.
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.
