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Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic Grips South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina – U.S. Attorney Beth Drake will join the DEA on October 28th for its 14th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country, including over 65 locations across South Carolina. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Liquids, needles, and sharps will not be accepted, only pills or patches.
Last April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.
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. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go to the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator , where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake urges South Carolina residents to take advantage of this opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted prescription drugs and help combat the prescription drug abuse epidemic gripping the nation.
The DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a crucial step in addressing the growing concern of prescription drug abuse and misuse. By working together, we can make a difference and keep our communities safe.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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