Prescription drug abuse by teenagers is increasing at alarming rates and is the second most abused type of drug after marijuana. To help stem this rising tide, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sponsored its second national prescription drug “take back day” on April 30th. Along with thousands of other sites throughout the country, the Upper Bucks Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Coalition (UBHCHY) participated in the event with seven sites in Upper Bucks County serving as drop off points for unused or expired medications and drug prescriptions.
Thanks in large part to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office for supporting local police departments in helping to staff the locations, a total of 360 lbs. of prescriptions (mostly pills) was collected and taken off the streets in Upper Bucks County. This is a 288% increase over the total take from the first “take back day” which was held on September 25, 2010. Thank you to the following police departments that took part during the day: Dublin Borough, Hilltown Township, Quakertown Borough, Perkasie Borough, Richland Township and Springfield Township.
Obviously this type of event is an important and necessary strategy for our local communities to be involved with to ensure that we help change the community conditions to prevent prescription drug abuse. To that end, several police departments have purchased a secure, permanent “drop box” for citizens to dispose of their unwanted and expired prescriptions at any time during regular business hours. Quakertown Police Department was the first department in Bucks County to purchase a box; read more about their efforts here.
Later this month, Richland Township will be the second department in the county to place a drop box in their lobby. One of the goals for the UBHCHY Coalition is to have 100% of the police departments in Upper Bucks County purchase a permanent drop box in 2011.
Read the full results of the Take Back day here.
