Drug Take-Back Initiative Results in Successful Collection of Pharmaceuticals

On September 29, 2012 Wood County Hospital, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and the Bowling Green Police Division partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription durgs.

The initiative resulted in collection of approximately 18.8 pounds or prescription pharmaceuticals being collected at Wood County Hospital and 16.8 pounds collected at the Wood Co.Sheriff’s Office.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trah — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Wood County residents can dispose of unwanted and unused prescription pharmaceuticals at collection points at the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 1960 East Gypsy Lane Road or the Bowling Green Police Division at 175 West Wooster Street, Bowling Green. These collection points are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through cooperation of the Wood County Hospital Foundation, the Wood Co. Sheriff’s Office, the Wood County ADMHS Board and the Bowling Green Police Division.