PRESS RELEASE
September 23, 2014
FCSO PARTICIPATES IN DRUG TAKE BACK SEPTEMBER 27, 2014
As a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorized collector, Florence County Sheriff’s Office will participate in the DEA’s Ninth Drug Take Back Program on Saturday, September 27, 2014. The Take Back collection site will be at the Lake City First Baptist Church located at 135 South Church Street, Lake City, SC and will operate from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. During this time, anyone can bring any expired, unneeded, or unwanted prescription drugs for safe disposal. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought for disposal, but liquids, needles or other sharps cannot be accepted.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22,134 Americans died in 2011 from overdoses of prescription medications, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers.
The previous method of disposal by flushing the unwanted prescription medications down the toilet is no longer environmentally sound, as detectible levels of medication has shown up in drinking water in some parts of the country.
“We have been involved in this important effort for several years now,” Sheriff Kenney Boone stated. “Prescription medication abuse is a real problem and sometimes leads to illicit drug use. Bringing these medications to us for proper disposal removes them from the home where they can fall into the wrong hands, wind up being sold on the street, poison children or harm the environment.”
For any questions regarding the FCSO Drug Take Back Program, call Investigator Gary Lewis at (843) 665-2121, ext. 333.
END
Major Michael M. Nunn
General Counsel/P.I.O.
