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County again sponsors drug take-back event on Saturday

Madison County officials are again uniting to encourage people to drop off unwanted medications at a special pickup site this Saturday in Edwardsville.

nationaldrugtakebackday2018National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will be marked from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28 on the parking lot on Second Street behind the County Administration Building, 157 N. Main St.

State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons, Coroner Steve Nonn and Sheriff John Lakin are encouraging residents to bring their expired, or unwanted, prescription or over-the-counter medications to Edwardsville as part of the National Take-Back Initiative sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The local effort is part of Gibbons’ ongoing participation in the Lock Your Meds public outreach campaign.

Last April, Americans turned in 447 tons (more than 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 12 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 6.4 million pounds — about 3,200 tons — of pills.

Many local police departments in Madison County, including the Sheriff’s Department, have permanent drop-off sites available for residents.

This 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 that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

Visit the state’s attorney website at www.madco-sa.org

More information on locations can be found at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/ta
keback/index.html

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