Reminder: Today is Drug Take Back Day

VW independent/submitted information

Just a reminder that Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach’s office is participating in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day being held today.

The sheriff’s office is working in conjunction with the 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, any time today. 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.

The sheriff is asking residents to remove pill medications from 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 containing identifying information from the bottles and blister packs before throwing them in the trash. Information on the labels should then be made illegible before placing them in the trash.

Sheriff Riggenbach also added that his office cannot accept medications from businesses.

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an initiative that 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 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 should understand that their usual methods of disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — can pose potential safety and health hazards.

As part of this initiative, Sheriff Riggenbach said his office would continue to accept prescription medications from residents throughout the year.