SAVANNAH, GA (April 27, 2013) – The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department collected 125 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs today for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day” event.
According to the DEA, more than 200 pounds were collected in Chatham County today. The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office also were out in the community collecting unwanted and expired prescription drugs today. All the drugs were taken to the DEA where they were weighed and destroyed.
Dozens of citizens took advantage of today’s event to safety disposed of their unused medications, no questions asked. Some people dropped off a couple of pill bottles, others brought in medicine by the bag full. The SCMPD’s downtown headquarters and Precinct 4 locations at the Oglethorpe Mall were the department’s most popular locations.
A permanent Prescription Drug Drop Box is located in the lobby of the SCMPD Headquarters lobby at 201 Habersham Street. This is the only location in Chatham County that is available to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 6.1 million Americans abused prescription drugs in 2011 and about 20,000 people a year die from prescription drug overdoses. In addition, prescription and over-the-counter medications account for most of the commonly abused illicit drugs by high school seniors.
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