Prescription Take Back Reigns in Over 754 Pounds of Drugs
Mesa County Brings In a Huge Amount of Rx to be Incinerated at the DEA
By: Katie, MCSO Intern
Mesa County, Colo. -- On Saturday, April 26, 2014, there were four sites across Mesa County collecting unwanted, unused, and expired prescription drugs. This was the bi-annual, no questions asked collection by local law enforcement in affiliation with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
With a huge success seen across the Fruita Police Department, the Palisade Police Department, and the Grand Junction Police Department, as well as the Mesa County Sheriff's Office over 754 pounds of drugs were collected.
The Fruita Police Department collected 87.2 pounds of unwanted or unused Rx drugs, the Palisade Police Department collected 24.2 pounds, the Grand Junction Police Department collected 182.60 pounds of drugs, and finally the Mesa County Sheriff's Office collected 460.6 pounds of prescription drugs. For the Sheriff's Office, the collected amount beat last years collection of 450 pounds. This collection makes this years event the most we've ever collected on one site.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and heath issue by removing unwanted or unused prescription drugs from homes across Mesa County. The DEA states that many Americans are not aware that medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at an alarming rates, as area the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. This prescription drug take back provides awareness and gives the opportunity for citizens to dispose of their unwanted Rx in a safe, responsible manner, and avoids them from being flushed down the toilet or thrown away which has major reprocussions on safety and heath.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Office retains a permanent prescription drug drop of box in the front lobby, which can be accessed during business hours Monday-Friday. As a reminder, Mesa County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility will take: needles/sharps, over-the-counter meds, pressurized/aerosol and mercury containing items, free of charge to Mesa County residents, Thursdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m..
We would like to offer our thanks to all citizens that contributed to this success in the prescription drug take back, and we estimate our next prescription drug take back will be in the fall of 2014.
