Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) dedicated a permanent prescription drug drop off box, named “Rx Return,” to the Moundsville Police Department on Thursday, October 13. The MCADC and the Moundsville Police Department have partnered to provide the community with a safe and responsible way to return unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs for disposal.
The misuse of prescription medications that are intended for treating many health conditions has become the leading cause of prescription drug abuse—making prescription pain reliever medications one of the leading abused substances nationwide, second only to marijuana. “We are working together to combat this problem. We have a common goal and that is to educate the community on ways to properly dispose of prescription drugs,” said Moundsville Police Chief, Tom Mitchell. “We appreciate the coalition working with us and purchasing the Rx Return for the community.”
Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in recent years, affecting people of all ages and demographics. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse had increased by 400% within the past decade, and hospital emergency department visits related to prescription drug misuse rose by 111% in four years. More than half of Americans who abuse prescription drugs received the medications from a friend or family member.
“Unfortunately, these abused medications are quite often easily obtained from the medicine cabinet,” said Jon Lewis, MCADC Coordinator. According to the Partnership for a Drug-free America, many teens believe prescription drugs are a safe way to get high; teens who wouldn't otherwise touch illicit drugs are abusing prescription drugs. “As adults, parents, and caregivers, we need to be mindful of this harmful trend. It is important that we keep track of our medications both location and quantity and dispose of these medications when they are no longer needed,” said Lewis.
The Rx Return is located at the Moundsville Police Department at 608 Tomlinson Ave., Moundsville. Items that are acceptable to return are prescription and over-the-counter medications. Certain items cannot be accepted in the Rx Return, including; needles, aerosol cans, and leaking liquid containers. The Rx Return is open to anyone in the community, no questions asked.
The MCADC is part of the United in Prevention Project, led by the Marshall County FRN and funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention Services and Treatment (SAPT) Grant. United in Prevention is a sixteen county initiative to reduce substance abuse in each community.
The MCADC is a non-profit organization working to make Marshall County a safe and drug-free community. For more information on substance abuse prevention or the MCADC, please contact (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.
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