Authorities in Jacksonville, North Carolina are piloting the use of prescription drug dropbox in the local police station. North Carolina residents are able to drop off medications, no questions asked, any day of the year.
So far, in just the past two weeks, hundreds of bottles of medication have been collected.
ENC Today quoted North Carolina police chief Michael Yaniero: “One of the greatest problems we have been facing in the last five to six years is the abuse of medications, especially in young people. And older people keep outdated or no longer needed prescriptions around because they don’t know what to do with them.”
The new prescription drug dropbox is an outgrowth of the “Prescription Drug Take-Back Days” sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Now North Carolina residents won’t have to wait for a special take-back day to safely dispose of potentially dangerous prescription drugs.
The police chief noted that disposing of the drugs will be less costly than investigating calls regarding the theft of medications.
Prescription drug abuse has been on the rise in North Carolina, to the point where the only more commonly-abused drug is marijuana. Teens in particular often have their first drug experience with prescription drugs because they are so readily available. Also, teens typically have the misconception that prescription medications are safer to abuse than street drugs.
If you know someone who needs help with drug or alcohol abuse, our North Carolina drug rehab services can help.
Narconon Riverbend Retreat has been successfully helping North Carolina residents for years. Call us now for help at 1-800-473-0930.
