Sheriff announces ‘Drug Take Back Day’

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Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach announced his office will again be participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which this year is on Saturday, April 29.

The sheriff’s office works in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to give county residents another opportunity 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 for disposal to the sheriff’s office, 113 N. Market St. in Van Wert, at any time on Saturday. This is a free service and residents can remain anonymous when dropping off medications, no questions asked.

Sheriff Riggenbach reminds residents the sheriff’s office will no longer be able to accept liquid medications, new or used needles or syringes, or other non-pill forms of medication, although he advised that his office will continue to receive medications in pill form.

Sheriff Riggenbach is asking residents to remove pill medications from the bottles or blister packs and put them in a bag or box before bringing them to the sheriff’s office. Residents should then remove all labels from the bottles and blister packs before throwing them in the trash.

County residents should then make all personal information on the labels illegible before throwing the labels in the trash. Sheriff Riggenbach also stated that his office is not able to receive pill form medications from businesses.

“The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an initiative that addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” Sheriff Riggenbach noted. “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.”

The sheriff added that studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including home medicine cabinets. 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.

Sheriff Riggenbach also noted that, as part of this initiative, his office will continue to accept prescription medications from residents throughout the year, and is encouraging everyone to turn in prescription drugs that are expired or no longer needed at the sheriff’s office.