National Drug Take Back Day
National Drug Take Back Day
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Program on October 29, 2011 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the main Sheriff’s Office located at 5755 E. Milton Rd., Milton, FL. 32583 and the Navarre District Office located at 8597 High School Blvd, Navarre, FL, 32566.
Sheriff Wendell Hall has endorsed this program which is spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Agency to provide a venue for persons who want to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Every day, approximately 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time, according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. The majority of these drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.
DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) in conjunction with state and local law enforcement agencies, throughout the United States, have conducted these drug take back events. Nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement agencies have participated in these events, collecting more than 309 tons of pills. The DEA continues to hold these events every six months.
Anyone who wants to dispose of unwanted, expired, or unused prescription medications can drop them off at the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office this Saturday, October 29, 2011, where they will be properly disposed of by law enforcement and DEA personnel.