LaGRANGE, Ga. (WRBL) - National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, it is designed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and it is an opportunity for people to give back prescription drugs they may no longer be using. District 4 Public Health is encouraging the disposal of prescription drugs by giving out the Deterra Drug Deactivation Systems.
Hayla Folden, the Media Relations Specialist for DPH, said National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was designed by the DEA to get prescription drugs out of homes. They hope to lower overdose numbers and have people stop taking expired medication.
"We know that people sometimes get opioid medication from someone else who may have been prescribed an opioid and overdosed on it so getting those types of prescriptions out of homes that are no longer being used will help," said Folden.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day takes place twice a year, once in April and once in October. Folden said this is the first year DPH is actively participating by administering the drug deactivation systems.
There are certain locations that will have drug drop off boxes to facilitate the drug disposal, according to Folden many of those boxes can be found in drug stores or law enforcement locations.
Sergeant Stewart Smith, the Public Information Officer for the Troup County Sheriff's Office, said the sheriff's office partnered with DPH to receive a drop box for prescription drugs that are no longer being used.
"We take it a few steps further here at the sheriff's office. We have a drop box in our lobby that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that anybody can come in any time of day and drop their medicine off," said Smith.
Although all prescription medication is welcomed in the drop box at the sheriff's office, they ask that community members refrain from dropping off liquid medications, aerosols and needles.
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, please visit takebackday.dea.gov.
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