Drug Take Back Day coming Saturday

VW County Sheriff’s information

Just a reminder that Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach has announced his office will be participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 26.

The Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to give Van Wert County residents their eighth opportunity in the last three years to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, while also helping prevent pill abuse and theft.  Residents can bring their pills or patches for disposal to the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, 113 N. Market St., at any time on April 26.  This is a free service and residents can remain anonymous when dropping off medications, no questions asked.

Sheriff Riggenbach advised that 64 pounds of prescription drugs were turned into the Van Wert County sheriff’s office in October 2013.  This made a total of 80 pounds of prescription drugs turned in to the sheriff’s office in 2013.

In all, 492 pounds of prescription drugs have been turned in to the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office since the beginning of the program.

Sheriff Riggenbach said the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an initiative that addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States 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 the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods of disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Also as part of this initiative, Sheriff Riggenbach said his office would continue to accept prescription medications from residents throughout the year. The sheriff is encouraging everyone to turn in prescription drugs that are expired or no longer needed.