ROANOKE, Va. – Law enforcement officials across the region teamed up with the DEA and others as part of National Drug Take Back Day.
It is a day where people can drive up and anonymously drop off any type of prescription or over-the-counter drugs as a way to get them out of the house and combat opioid addiction.
“It’s a chance to clean out anything that’s expired,” LewisGale Director of Pharmacy Derrick Botkins said. “We’re going to properly dispose of it. It’s also a way to properly dispose of anything that isn’t needed or isn’t being used.”
Law enforcement officials such as the Roanoke Sheriff’s Office and Roanoke County Police Department teamed up with organizations like LewisGale to collect the medications.
All types of medication, ranging from Tylenol to opioids, can be turned over to the police with no questions asked. From there, police will weigh how much they have before taking it to the DEA to properly dispose of it.
Proper collection and disposal keep medications from being thrown into the trash, where it has a chance to litter the waterways and the ground.
It also helps prevent younger children and teenagers from trying to take it without their parents’ knowledge or approval.
Another Drug Take Back Day will be held in October.
