The Upper Bucks Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Coalition (UBHCHY) participated in the third national Rx Drug Take Back event held on Saturday, October 29,2011. This event is coordinated nationally through the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and locally through the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission. The purpose of the day is to provide a place for citizens to dispose of unused and outdated medications. Each county-wide event has received a larger amount of prescription drugs disposed than each even previously, as more police departments have chosen to be involved.
Since the first event in 2010, over two tons of prescription drugs have been collected throughout Bucks County. There were nine drop off sites in Upper Bucks County at various police departments, (Dublin, Hilltown, Pennridge Regional, Quakertown, Richland, Springfield and Tinicum) and other community sites. Despite the unexpected snowstorm on October 29, 2011, over 3,800 pounds of prescription drugs were collected county wide. Members of the Pennridge and Quakertown football teams volunteered at each site to help conduct surveys as well as distribute UBHCHY information. The Prescription Drug Take Back is a great way to keep drugs from falling into the wrong hands as well as a safe way to dispose of them without contaminating the underground water supply. Since October 25, 2011, there have been four knife-point robberies at pharmacies in Lower Bucks County thus confirming the high street value and demand for these over-the-counter prescription pills. Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick commended the efforts of our community on the house floor; check out his encouraging words and praise here. The project is funded in part through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
For more information and locations go to www.dea.gov or www.buckspromise.blogspot.com.
To view the Montgomery News’ article “Drug drop-off box in Pennridge a safe, easy way to discard unused medications” click here.
