Prescription medication drug abuse is a problem that hits communities across the nation, especially in the Central Valley.
One of the primary groups abusing these drugs are the nation’s youth. More than 2,500 youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are getting high on prescription drugs.
To combat this trend, the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) is partnering with Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson to open secured prescription drug collection boxes at five Sheriff’s Department facilities in Stanislaus County.
Many prescription drug abusers get their drugs from family or friend's medicine cabinets, where unwanted, unused, or expired drugs sit. The take back events will allow the community to dispose of these unused drugs.
These “Drop the Drugs” collection boxes will be operational beginning 3 p.m. Friday at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department Headquarters, located at 250 E. Hackett Rd. in Modesto.
Since 2009, the beginning of the partnership between the Stanislaus County Drug Enforcement Agency and BHRS, more than 8,900 pounds of prescription medications have been collected and disposed of as part of the “Drop the Drugs” take back events in Stanislaus County.
The program was formed to provide the community with information on the dangers of prescription med abuse, educate on the link between opiate prescription medicine abuse and heroin addiction, and the environmental impacts surrounding improper disposal of prescription meds.
