North Jefferson County Ambulance District Sets Drug Take-Back Event

The North Jefferson County Ambulance District (NJCAD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has set a drug take-back event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27. The program is designed to provide an opportunity for the public to prevent pill abuse by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Residents are urged to bring medications for disposal to the North Jefferson County Ambulance District office at 2820 Horrell Lane, High Ridge. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

As of last fall, Americans turned in 2,039,741 pounds—1,020 tons—of prescription drugs nationwide since 2010, according to information from the NJCAD, adding that the drug take-back 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 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.

Four days after the first event, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, an NJCAD news release stated, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the attorney general to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’  controlled substances in certain instances. DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act. Until new regulations are in place, local agencies such as NJCAD, law enforcement agencies and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

“By combining our efforts, we can make the public aware of the dangers of prescription drugs, provide a safe and secure method of disposal of these medications and help to reduce the incidence of these substances getting into the hands of our children”, said Public Relations Officer Lt. Jessica Maddock.  
  For more information, contact Maddock at 636-677-3399 ext. 72, or visit www.njcad.com and select Community Corner.