FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2012
Contact: Liz Mills, Director of Media Relations and Communications, 571-251-5568 (mobile) [email protected]
Loudoun County Law Enforcement Partner with DEA for Fifth Nationwide Prescription Take-Back Day
Loudoun County, VA – The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Leesburg Police Department and the Town of Purcellville Police Department have once again partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the “Take-Back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft.
On Saturday, September 29, from 10AM – 2PM law enforcement agencies in Loudoun County will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at four sites in the county.
The sites include the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station located at 46620 East Frederick Drive in Sterling, the Dulles South Public Safety Center located at 25216 Loudoun County Parkway in South Riding, the Lansdowne Public Safety Center located at 19845 Sandridge Way in Lansdowne, the Leesburg Police Department located at 65 Plaza Street in Leesburg and the Purcellville Police Department located at 250 Orchard Avenue in Purcellville. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
As a former Special Agent with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, Sheriff Mike Chapman understands the importance of this issue. “This program addresses a critical public safety and health issue,” he said.
During the last initiative Loudoun County law enforcement agencies collected nearly 600 pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates, 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, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.
Collection sites in every local community can be found by going to www.dea.gov. This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.
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