Lexington, SC - Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon has a suggestion for everyone. He wants you to open your cabinets and have a look inside. In a message to the citizens of Lexington County, the sheriff says he want everyone to know just how important it is to keep up with unused and expired pills and how to properly dispose of them if you find any.
In a column written by Sheriff Jay Koon he asks, “Have you checked your medicine cabinets lately?” He goes on to say that if you do, you’ll probably find some unused or expired pills.
Sheriff Koon wrote, “Oct. 24 is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s next Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.”
According to the Sheriff Koon, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is offering a drive-thru collection site at their headquarters this Saturday, October 24, 2020. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., people can stop by 521 Gibson Road in Lexington to get rid of any leftover prescriptions conveniently from your vehicle. Deputies will be on-site to safely collect and dispose of these items.
Sheriff Koon asked residents not to just toss these out with the trash. “Please don’t throw your pills in the trash or flush them down the toilet. Teens who abuse prescription drugs are typically getting them from friends, family—and you guessed it—home medicine cabinets,” he went on to say.
The Drug Enforcement Administration reports that the nonmedical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America. And yes, taking prescription drugs that are not prescribed to you or supervised by a doctor is dangerous. It can be just as dangerous as street drugs.
Koon said, “Many other agencies across the Midlands will be participating in collection sites. Check out takebackday.dea.gov to find a site near you. We also offer drop-boxes at all of our county locations during business hours; our headquarters location offers 24/7 access.”
Sheriff Koon also offered some resources for those that may already be struggling. “Prescription drug addiction doesn’t discriminate,” he said. “If you need someone to talk to, please view our Community Resource Guide at lexingtonsheriff.com.”
In closing the sheriff wrote, “Don’t let them get into the wrong hands. Help us stop accidental poisonings, overdoses and drug abuse by properly disposing of your unused and expired drugs before it’s too late.”
