Cities and towns across North Carolina participate in medicine take-back events that enable residents to safely dispose of unused and outdated prescription medication.
Now the Apex and Holly Springs police departments are among the first in the state to offer permanent, on-site containers at their stations where residents can drop off unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications to reduce the chances of substance abuse and accidental overdoses.
The misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines can be deadly. State officials say the number of deaths from unintentional prescription overdoses has quadrupled, from 228 in 1997 to 1,000 or more this year.
Having unwanted prescription meds in the home can also have pernicious effects on inquisitive youth, officials say. Among kids 12 to 17, only marijuana is abused more than prescription medicine, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
Meanwhile, a third of teenagers who use prescription medicine without a doctor's approval get the drugs from their home, according to the Center for Addiction and Drug Use. Another third obtain them from a friend's home.
Officials with Safe Kids North Carolina, an organization that works to prevent childhood injury, say it had become obvious in recent years that single-day prescription medicine drop-off events were insufficient.
Apex police recently received a free prescription pill drop box from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, said Apex police Capt. Ann Stephens. She said police welcome the bulky new tool to the department's ongoing effort to stem the unsafe consumption of drugs, as well as help keep medications out of the water system.
Holly Springs spent $700 from proceeds in drug forfeiture cases to purchase its container in September. The white containers resemble the old-timey, navy blue mailboxes that sit in front of post offices, said Holly Springs spokesman Mark Andrews.
Andrews said town officials typically see heavy participation from residents during the medication drop-off events, and hope the container will help extend their reach.
"The police would like to get more use out of the permanent box," he said.
The annual, statewide Operation Pill Drop is sponsored by local law agencies who partner with the state department of insurance, the State Bureau of Investigation and SafeKids North Carolina.
Two counties, Pitt and Surry, have permanent drop boxes, SBI spokeswoman Jennifer Canada said. The SBI is applying for federal funding that will enable each county to have at least one container.
