Drug Take Back Partners with Senior Centers to Increase Participation & Awareness

On Saturday, April 28, throughout Jackson County in partnership with Jackson County Drug Free Council, Jackson County Health Department, Jackson County United Way, City of Seymour Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public another opportunity to prevent substance abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  

 

Bring your drugs for disposal at the following locations during the following times.  (Seymour Police will also accept liquids, needles, sharps, pills and patches.)  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last fall, Jackson County residents turned in 8 trash bags full of prescription drugs at 5 sites operated by the Drug Free Council, Health Department, and Seymour Police Department.  Overall, nationally in previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 9 million pounds of expired, unused, and unwanted drugs including more than 4,500 tons of drugs.  

 

“This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that linger in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse,” shared Lin Montgomery, Public Health Educator & Coordinator with the Jackson County Health Department. 

 

Jackson County United Way (JCUW) hosted 12 community conversations over the last six months focused on substance use, part of what they heard were concerns regarding connectedness and being a good neighbor. Tonja Couch, Jackson County United Way Executive Director, shared, “This year, based on what we heard, we’ve been more intentional about educating our senior population to empty their medicine cabinets of unused, unwanted, and expired drugs.  It is so important that this population understands the risk of keeping these medications in their home. We’ve also partnered with the Senior Centers and other community organizations to create an event around the Drug Take Back to encourage more neighbors to come out, drop off unwanted drugs, and learn more about resources available and enjoy a delicious meal.”  

 

"One of the statements I hear most frequently is that families are left with unused medicine to dispose of after a loved one passes away and they are unsure of how or where to take the medicines.  Drug Take Back Day events or dropping off these at the Seymour Police or Jackson County Sheriff’s Department are a perfect way to properly dispose of leftover medicines, whether they belong to you, someone else, or your pets.  All people need to clean out their cabinets to ensure these drugs do not get used by the wrong person," shared Jackson County Drug Free Council Director, Brenda Turner.

 

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.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbot shared, “The drug issue is a county-wide problem.  Keeping you and your family safe by emptying out your medicine cabinet for this event is important and easy to do. If you dispose of these unused, unwanted, and expired drugs it can reduce the chances of you being a victim of crime.” 

 

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs, how the community is addressing the issue, and what you can do to help check out: www.drugfreecouncil.org or Jackson County Drug Free Council on Facebook.