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25 Apr

Saturday: Dump the Drugs Dudes Day!

Posted April 25, 2012 by Julia Carlisle in Vermont.

Saturday is the day to get rid of your old, icky, moldy pills that are just taking up space in your drawer, cabinets, etc. Hopefully they helped you to get well. Now, it’s time to “spring-clean”….We’ll post details on the Woodstock “dump the drugs” location on Friday – WEB

From Windsor County Sheriff Mike Chamberlain (edited for relevance-WEB):

WINDSOR COUNTY, VT–Do you have unused prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet? It turns out that’s the number one source for prescription drug abuse in the country. You can dispose of those unneeded or expired pills and capsules safely, anonymously, and for free on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., at nine collection sites all around Windsor County.

According to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 1 out of 6 Vermont high school seniors reported using a prescription drug not prescribed for them. Even 1 in 10 ninth-graders report using a stimulant or pain-killer that wasn’t theirs.

Many young people, particularly teens, think that prescription drugs are safe enough to experiment with. After all, how dangerous could it be if a doctor prescribed it?

Adults fall prey to the temptation, too. In fact, the number of prescription drug abusers in the U.S. is more than twice the number who use heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens combined. Oxycontin alone has six times more addicts than heroin.

The number of drug poisonings and overdose deaths has increased with the rise in users. So has the number of people seeking help to break a prescription drug habit. And the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends dipping into the home medicine cabinet.

In a video with Woodstock Pharmacist Jim Marmar last year, Woodstock Police Officer Peter Mantello said that prescripton drug abuse is now so common, that police routinely check the medicine cabinets after a break-in.

The April 28 event is the fourth National Take-Back Day. The DEA will incinerate the pills and capsules in order to keep them out of landfills and ground water. Please bring only pills and capsules; no liquids, inhalers, or injectables.

At the third National Take-Back Day, last October, Vermonters turned in 1182 pounds of prescription drugs, and 38 of those pounds came from Windsor County.

The collection sites around Windsor County are coordinated by the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department.

4 responses to this post.

  1. susan's avatar

    Posted by susan on April 25, 2012 at 17:33

    Is this only prescription drug pills or will they take over the counter expired pills also? Thanks.

    Like

  2. Margaret (Peggy) Kannenstine's avatar

    Posted by Margaret (Peggy) Kannenstine on April 26, 2012 at 09:45

    Has the Sheriff identified the locations for pill drop-offs?

    Like

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