Old and unsafe prescription drugs are off the streets

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI)- The parking lot at the College of Eastern Idaho was light up red and blue Saturday. But it wasn't because of first responders, coming to an emergency, it was because they were there supporting drug take back day.

National Drug Back Day is a chance for households to get rid of their old prescription drugs and make sure that they get disposed of properly.

"This is a chance for people to learn about disposing of their old and expired prescriptions and medications that they may not be using anymore. Identify or know what they are anymore and they can get them to us and we can, take them to a safe place for them to be disposed of. Rather than having them, go in the trash or get into the hands of someone that could abuse them and things like that," Sergeant Bryan Lovell from the Bonneville County Sheriff's office said.

Sergeant Bryan Lovell, adds that drug abuse is common in our community.

"We've got a variety of drug abuse issues in our community, in any legal drugs and things like that. But from time to time, when people that are abusing drugs that they can't find illegal drugs or a source, they're then at times they're stealing prescription drugs from people or pharmacies and whatnot and abusing them that way," Sergeant Lovell added.

Another local representative from the Bonneville Youth Development Coalition weighed in on the Drug abuse problem.

"Just in the stats, 2021, you had over 106,000 overdose deaths in the United States, highest number we've ever had in a 12 month period. And then we upped that. And in 2022, we went over 107,000. The majority, over about 75% of those are opioids. And those are getting a major contributor is through prescription medications. If they're sitting around, kids are going to be able to pick them up or they're out in the community, people are stealing them," John Hopla the executive director of the Bonneville Youth Development Coalition.

Many of the people that came to drop off their drugs came because they wanted to protect their kids.

"I have older kids. They know to stay out of it, but it's still just nice to get out of my house and have that really fun, that burden off of us as well as it's being properly dispersed or disposed of," Brittany Ferguson Fontes said.

"Because we don't want drugs in our house and we have teenagers in the home," said Joe Tamayo.

Another purpose of drug take back day was to help educate families on how to keep themselves safe and dispose of old drugs safely.

"Getting them out of our homes that are if the medication is expired or are no longer used, getting it out of our homes and getting it disposed of properly is is the best thing we can do," Alison Cruz a Health Educator from Eastern Idaho Public Health said.

Cruz added that it's also important to keep them out of the reach of children, pets and others. As it may cause harm within our communities.

Ann Marie Hopla said one way to ensure that prescriptions are out of the reach of others, is putting them in a lock box.

"If you can't dispose of them, you have children, grandchildren in your home, lock up your meds in lock boxes. And these events help us so that we can get people information on those lock boxes," Ann Marie said.

Sergeant Lovell added that if you missed the event Saturday you, don't have to wait until April until the next event.

"There are some of these drop box locations that are available year round. We have one in the law enforcement building downtown during business hours that it's available right there. And then there's several pharmacies in the area too, that have those available," Sergeant Lovell said.

For more information on where to take your old prescription drugs you can go here.