Operation Medicine Cabinet Event Scheduled For Saturday

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL -- The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in cooperation with partner agencies in the county will host its 22nd Operation Medicine Cabinet on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is an opportunity for residents to safely discard unused or expired prescription medications; and is a multi-agency effort aimed at addressing the problem of prescription drug abuse and keeping harmful drugs out of the environment.

Operation Medicine Cabinet events began in May 2009 in Pinellas and have been held semi-annually.

Partnering law enforcement agencies include the Kenneth City Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas Park Police Department and the Clearwater Police Department in partnership with the LiveFree! Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Pinellas and Operation PAR drug treatment program.

Drop-off sites include:

* Kenneth City Police Department, 4600 58th St. N., Kenneth City

* Pinellas County Sheriff's Office at the St. Pete Beach Community Center, 7701 Boca Ciega Drive, St. Pete Beach

* St. Petersburg Police Department, 1300 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg

* Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Sheriff's Administration Building, 10750 Ulmerton Road, Largo

* Pinellas Park Police Department at Target, 7150 U.S. 19 N., Pinellas Park

* Pinellas County Sheriff's Office North District Station, 2496 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin

* Clearwater Police Department at Countryside Mall (near Crunch Fitness), 27001 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater.

Residents are invited to stop by any of the eight listed locations during the designated times to drop off their unused and expired prescription medications for safe collection and disposal - no questions asked. No bio-hazards or needles will be accepted.

Drop-off sites will be in the parking lots or lobbies of each location.

Operation Medicine Cabinet is designed to educate the public and raise awareness about the problem of prescription drugs abuse. The problem has reached epidemic proportions, with prescription drugs as the No. 1 abused drug in the United States, surpassing all illicit drugs.

For information, call the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office at 727-582-2222.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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