Tuesday, October 6th, 2015
Drug drop boxes net 620 pounds of prescription meds
By Jared Mauch
Drug drop boxes at jails in Mercer and Auglaize counties have allowed people to dispose of more than 620 pounds of unneeded prescription drugs over the last 18 months.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office reported more than 350 pounds have been collected during that time.
The sheriff's office regularly participates in the Drug Enforcement Agency's drug take-back projects and maintains the county's only drug drop box in which people may dispose of medicine. The DEA disposes of the drugs, most of which are in pill form.
"The drug drop box was installed to make getting rid of unnecessary pills from your home easy. Most prescription abuse in teenagers starts when they take medications prescribed for an adult," Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said.
"The drop box is a way for people to dispose of drugs properly," Grey said.
Grandchildren sometimes steal old drugs from grandparents, he added.
The drop box is located in the lobby of the sheriff's office. People can stop by and drop off unused or unwanted drugs in the box anytime.
The sheriff's office this year has collected 172 pounds of drugs through July, according to Capt. Martin Emerine. The office collected 255 pounds of drugs in 2014.
The sheriff's office participates in the National Drug Takeback program and on Sept. 26 had a collection event.
Auglaize County residents can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs 24 hours a day at the county jail in Wapakoneta, Sheriff Al Solomon said. His office has collected more than 270 pounds of unwanted drugs since 2014.
The office also has three collection days a year at various locations across the county and also participates in the DEA event, Solomon said.
A total of 135 pounds was collected by the sheriff's office in 2014 and 1351/2 pounds this year, according to deputy Steve Steinecker.
Deaths from prescription painkillers have quadrupled since 1999, killing more than 16,000 people in the U.S. in 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
