Prescription Drug Take Back In Cleveland Heights

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH - April 29 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The Clevleand Heights Police Department is participating in the event and will have officers posted at the Cleveland Heights Police Department, 40 Severance Circle, on April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe prescription pills play in role in kickstarting addiction for a majority of American drug addicts. Dr. Nora Vaklow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health, said in 2014 that the drastic increase in the number of prescriptions written for patients plays a significant role in the increasing number of drug addicts in the United States.

For many people, a prescription medication, particularly painkillers, can go unused after a surgery or other medical incident. The medication then sits in a cabinet or drawer and is forgotten. While the drugs may be out of mind, they are not necessarily a muted threat. Children and friends may still have access to the drugs.

Personal information is not collected during the event, so you don't have to worry about sharing your medical history with neighbors or strangers. The department does ask that you remove all prescription labels prior to arriving at the event. The medications will be held by law enforcement until they can be disposed of properly.

To learn more about how addiction can start in a doctor's office, click here.

Residents who attend the Cleveland Heights Drop-off are also encouraged to bring a signed copy of the "Challenge Pledge".

Photo from Shutterstock

Prescription Drug Take Back