Health

DEA to hold prescription drug take back this Saturday in Berkeley Co.

by Nikki Gaskins Campbell

After collecting more than 1,700 tons of expired, unwanted prescription medications over the past three-and-a-half years, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and more than 4,200 national, tribal and community

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law enforcement partners will hold another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 26th.

Folks can take their pills (no liquids or needles) to one of over 5,600 collection sites across the country between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

According to the DEA, last October Americans turned in 324 tons (over 647,000 pounds) of prescription drugs. Since DEA’s first event in September of 2010, the public has surrendered over 3.4 million pounds of pills.

Officials say unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they are highly susceptible to accidental ingestion, theft, misuse, and abuse. Almost twice as many Americans (6.8 million) currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined, according to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. And more Americans died in 2010 from overdoses of prescription medications (22,134, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers) than from motor vehicle accidents, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveys of users have found that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

There are several sites in Berkeley Co. that you can take your used and unwanted medications to:

  • BERKELEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

           223 N. LIVE OAK DRIVE

          MONCKS CORNER, SC 29445

  • BERKELEY COUNTY SUMMARY COURT

           303 N. GOOSE CREEK BLVD.

          GOOSE CREEK, SC 29445

  • NAVAL WEAPONS STATION

          SUITE 100

         1765 REDBANK ROAD

         GOOSE CREEK, SC 29445

 

 

 
Nikki Gaskins Campbell
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