Drive-Through Prescription Drug Drop-Off at Two Locations
Des Moines, IA, May 11, 2010 — The Polk County Substance Abuse and Addictions Workgroup (PCSAAW) and the Clive Fire and Police Department will be holding a drive-through prescription drug drop-off on Saturday, May 15 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
The drug drop-off will be held at the Polk County Health Department at 1907 Carpenter Ave. in
Currently, there are over three million prescription drug abusers in the United States. That statistic directly impacts teens as more teens abuse prescription drugs than any illicit drug except marijuana. One-third of all new abusers of prescription drugs are 12 to 17 years old. Plus, prescription drugs are the drug of choice among 12 to 13 year olds.
"Prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse is a growing problem because the drugs are easy to get, easy to use, and cause addiction," said Mike Wenger, substance abuse prevention specialist with
Seventy percent of prescription medication abusers report getting their medications from friends and family. Often times these medications are old or left over medications that people forget about or don't know how to get rid of safely.
"These medicines can be easily stolen in the privacy of a bathroom by family, friends, even strangers attending an open house or garage sale and using the bathroom," said Wenger.
Benefits of the prescription drug drop include allowing people to dispose of their medications in an environmentally safe way, as opposed to flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash. The number one benefit is aiding to prevent drug abuse. All prescriptions will remain confidential. Please keep all medications in their original container and mark or cross out any identifying information.
Medications accepted include: prescription and over the counter medications, medication samples, pet medications, vitamins/supplements/homeopathics, and ointments/lotions/creams/oils/soaps.
Medications not accepted include: needles/sharps/syringes with needles, aerosols or pressurized containers, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, hydrogen peroxide, or illicit substances.
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