‘Take Back’ takes in over 19K pills
, Staff Writer
04-26-2010
Pulaski County’s first Prescription Take Back Program was deemed a success Saturday after nearly 19,800 pills were turned in for disposal.
Lee Spiegel, coordinator for Pulaski Community Partners Coalition said 1,468 of the 19,709 pills turned in by the public were controlled substances (medications that are often abused by drug users). The purpose of the event is to keep unwanted, unused or outdated prescriptions from getting into the hands of children or others who might abuse them.
According to Pulaski Police Department, which sponsored the event along with PCPC, more than 2,000 children daily, ages 12-17, try a painkiller for recreational purposes for the first time. Of those children, 70 percent get the medication from their friends or family.
Saturday’s program was such a success several sites will be set up across the county Nov. 13 as part of a National Prescription Take Back Program.
Spiegel said the oldest prescription turned in Saturday was prescribed in 1986 and the largest single prescription turned in by one person was 2,330 Flexeril pills. Flexeril is a muscle relaxant.
Pulaski Police Department Lt. Ervin Barr said the medications collected will be incinerated after obtaining a court order authorizing their destruction. During the four-hour collection period, a 36-inch tall wooden box that is 18 inches square was filled up with prescriptions and their related containers.
Spiegel said some people came bearing grocery bags and cardboard boxes full of prescriptions and other medications.
Martin’s Pharmacy was on hand to catalogue the pills and identify the ones in unmarked bottles. Pulaski Community Hospital and students from Radford University’s Masters of Social Work Program also participated.
One couple came from Blacksburg to turn in their unused prescriptions.
To be a pilot program, Spiegel said the Take Back event was a “huge success.”
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