October 2, 2017
Murphy Police Department hosts Drug Take Back Day
Free, no-questions-asked event set for Oct. 28
MURPHY (October 2, 2017) The rapid accumulation of drugs, medications, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medicines at home can happen without anyone taking notice, presenting residents with a dilemma on disposing of them properly.
“We often either get a prescription filled or buy some cold medicine and recover so quickly that we simply put those drugs away and forget about them,” says Police Lt. Adana Barber. “That’s precisely why we offer the Drug Take Back events, providing residents with the opportunity to safely dispose of these potentially harmful substances.”
The next Drug Take Back event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Murphy Police Department lobby, 206 North Murphy Road. Weather permitting, officers will accept medications dropped off curbside.
The free service is designed to provide a place where unwanted or expired drugs can be safely and securely removed from circulation. Accepting these substances also prevents them from being introduced into the water supply.
Several fully-attended collection receptacles will be available to accept the drugs for eventual disposal. The service is anonymous, as no one will be asked questions regarding the medications.
The program, however, is not intended for illicit or illegal drugs or paraphernalia. And, needles, syringes and pressurized inhalers will not be accepted. The last several Drug Take Back events have resulted in residents bringing in an average of 200 pounds of unused, unwanted, expired or unknown drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
“These drugs need to be properly disposed of in order to prevent them from being abused,” she said. “Over 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers get them through friends or relatives right out of the family medicine cabinet.”
Also, people who flush prescription drugs down their toilets or sinks may be placing the community at risk, since the contaminated wastewater may eventually find its way back into the system.
For more information on the program, residents may call (972) 468-4210 or send an e-mail to Lt. Barber at abarber@murphytx.org.
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