Longview, TX — The Third National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The biannual event promoted nationally by the Drug Enforcement Agency provides local venues for the proper disposal of unused prescriptions. Locally this event will be hosted by the Longview Police Department in the parking lot of Louis Morgan Gifts and Pharmacy located at 110 Johnston Street in Longview.
Improper disposal of medications, such as flushing them down a toilet, places undue risk to local water sources. This program not only addresses environmental and medicine safety issues, such as cleaning out expired medications from medicine cabinets, but also addresses the growing issue of prescription drug abuse. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Brad Osburg, Good Shepherd Medical Center’s Pharmacy Director said, “Prescription drug abuse is growing rapidly at rate in which it is surpassing marijuana as the top recreational drug in the State of Texas. The majority of Good Shepherd’s prescription drug overdose patients are now elderly, pediatric or recreational drug users. However, those elderly and pediatric patients tend to have low body weights and compromised or underdeveloped liver function.”
During the prior two such efforts nationally, the nearly 4,000 local agencies who participated collected more than 309 tons of drugs. By cleaning out your medicine cabinet you can not only remove the risk of accidental illness or overdose due to medication mismanagement but you can also remove temptation for prescription drug abusers, who often obtain their drugs by stealing from family and friends.
For more information about Good Shepherd Medical Center, please contact the Healthy Hotline at (903) 315-GSHS (4747) or visit www.GoodShepherdHealth.org [1]
From: Good Shepherd Medical Center