The Walnut Ridge Police department will be hosting, in collaboration with the Sheriff’s office the 2012 National Drug Take back day, April 28 at 10am. Our drop box for this date will be located at the Wal-Mart on West Main starting at 10am. All Medications can be dropped off anonymously and would encourage anyone who has unused or outdated prescription medication of any type to drop by one of our locations to make your drop off. These medications will be incinerated which is the absolute safest way to discard of unused medication as it keeps these drugs out of the hands of our kids and out of our water supply. Everyone knows the dangers associated with the wrong people, especially kids, getting a hold of these meds, but many people do not know that if they ‘flush’ their old meds, it ultimately ends up in our water supply which can present numerous issues too many to discuss. So please join us there on April 28 from 10am to 2pm and look for the Police Department booth. No drop off is too small or too large and again this is a huge service to our area so please be proactive and help us save the environment and possibly a child. Even if we can Keep drugs out of the hands of ONE child, All of this effort would be totally worth it. Americans that participated in the DEA’s third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on October 29, 2011, turned in more than 377,086 pounds (188.5 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,327 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the three prior Take-Back Days are combined, the DEA, and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of medication from circulation in the past 13 months.
“The amount of prescription drugs turned in by the American public during the past three Take-Back Day events speaks volumes about the need to develop a convenient way to rid homes of unwanted or expired prescription drugs,†said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “DEA remains hard at work to establish just such a drug disposal process, and will continue to offer take-back opportunities until the proper regulations are in place.â€
“With the continued support and hard work of our more than 3,945 state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners, these three events have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, and increased awareness of this critical public health issue,†said Leonhart.
Walnut Ridge Police Department
