Area locations scheduled for Prescription Take-Back Day drop-offs

The Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force (SCDETF), the Pelham Police Department, the Shelby County Drug Free Coalition, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are sponsoring National Prescription Take Back Day to allow citizens the opportunity to properly dispose of unused, expired, or unwanted prescription or over-the counter medications. The drop-off is free and anonymous—no questions asked.

Area residents can bring medications for disposal on Saturday, April 27 between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Drop-off locations include the Greystone YMCA at 5414 Highway 280 and Winn-Dixie at 2653 Valleydale Road.

Other county locations are Alabaster Target at 250 South Colonial Drive, Alabaster; Pelham Police Department at 32 Philip Davis Street, Pelham; and University of Montevallo Police Department at the Department of Public Safety, Station 6155, Montevallo.

Medication take-back events address a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that stay in home cabinets are easily stolen and abused. Prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

According to the DEA website, in 2012, citizens turned in a record-breaking 1,040,556 pounds (520 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the five Take-Back Days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed over 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of medication from circulation.”

In 2012, Shelby County residents turned in approximately 482 pounds of unwanted medications.

The SCDETF consists of law enforcement officers from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabaster Police Department, the Helena Police Department, the Pelham Police Department, and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. The SCDETF is funded by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Shelby County Commission.

The SCEDTF encourages citizens to report illegal activity by calling 670-0436 or visiting http://dtf.shelbyal.com. Citizens may click on “Tips” and submit their complaints. All information is anonymous.

For more, contact Lieutenant Kevin Turner of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force at 670-0436 or kturner@shelbyso.com.