FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT

Major Lafayette Woods, Jr.

Operation Commander/Public Information Officer

870.541.5351-OFFICE/870.329.5652-CELL

Email: lafayette.woods@jeffcoso.org

SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND TRI-COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE PREPARE FOR THE 8TH ANNUAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK EVENT: Jefferson County, Arkansas – April 25^th 2014 – On Saturday, April 26^th 2014 from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. as part of this year’s 8^th National Take-Back Initiative the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Tri-County Drug Task Force in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.  We ask that you bring your medications for disposal to the following collection site: 

• Brookshire’s located at 2800 S. Hazel Street in Pine Bluff, AR., where the Sheriff’s Office Mobile Incident Command Center will be on sight. 

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

In October of 2013 the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office along with the Tri-County Drug Task Force participated in the Nation’s 7^th Annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative, whereby 169 lbs of unused and/or expired prescriptions medications were turned in by citizens.  Nationally, 647,211 pounds (324 tons) of prescription medications were collected from members of the public at more than 5,683 locations manned by state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies that partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on the event.  When added to the collections from DEA’s previous six Drug Take-Back Events, thousands of pounds more of prescription medications have been removed from circulation.  This is due largely to the efforts of authority’s nationwide, 50 percent more prescription pills were collected than the last Drug Take-Back Event, demonstrating the American public’s continued appreciation and need for the opportunity to discard unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, bedside tables, and kitchen drawers.

The Prescription Drug Take-Back 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.

Prior to the Prescription Take-Back Initiative, Americans usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash both posed potential safety and health hazards.  However, the initiative provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Tri-County Drug Task Force and other law enforcement agencies alike through a collaborative effort will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events.