Local residents are being asked to dispose of their expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs and over the counter medications in an effort to keep them out of the wrong hands.
And to make it easier, there will be two different locations in Fayette County where such medicine can be anonymously dropped off on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Peachtree City Police Department will be accepting such medications in an “Operation Pill Drop” roundup in the parking lot of the K-Mart in the Braelinn Village shopping center.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office will host a drive-through “Operation Pill Drop” roundup in the sheriff’s department’s parking lot on Johnson Avenue nearest south Jeff Davis Drive, to make it more convenient for residents, organizers said.
Prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is 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. You can make your home safe and strengthen your community by participating in this nationwide prescription take-back program.
Participants should note that Operation Pill Drop cannot accept needles/sharps, syringes with needles, thermometers, IV bags, bloody or infectious waste, personal care products, empty containers, inhalers, medical equipment or hydrogen peroxide.
The free event is a joint effort between local police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Safe Kids of Georgia.
