A BIG thank you to our incredible volunteers that braved the rain last weekend for our Medication Take-Back at Asheville Outlets and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. With your help, we collected 43 lbs. of medication! We distributed 6 lockboxes, 3 sharps containers, and 22 packs of Deterra Drug Deactivation System. If you live in Buncombe County and would like any of these items please send us a message!

Thank you to our partners that helped get the word out to our community!

https://www.holacarolina.org/news–noticias/deje-sus-medicamentos-inservibles-en-el-dia-nacional-de-devolucion-de-medicamentos?fbclid=IwAR3r3lTpr1ybOJnxfMt-n_O8m9klfNI50Wm0VPEHAfoT1eKIbrIV0BCh1_Y 

https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/Health/news_detail.aspx?id=19291

“While it will take some time for all the data from 2020 to be released, it’s fair to say the opioid crisis is still ongoing in this community. “The reality is that when our social contact is limited, we tend to get sicker, and that sickness shows up as addictive and compulsive behaviors,” added Nicolaisen.”

https://wlos.com/news/addicted-america/addiction-and-covid-19-twindemic-crises-creates-challenges-for-local-officials

 

The Partnership for Substance Free Youth in Buncombe County taking back unwanted prescription drugs April 24

[Asheville, NC] – On Saturday, Apr. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Partnership for Substance Free Youth will be collaborating with local businesses and law enforcement to provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. This year, sites are also accepting electronic e-cigarette devices with batteries removed. Bring your medication for disposal to one of the multiple drop off locations. (Sites cannot accept needles or sharps) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The event will take place at multiple locations across Buncombe County from 10am-2pm:

  • Asheville Outlets – 800 Brevard Rd
  • Sheriff’s Satellite Office – 339 New Leicester Hwy

To keep everyone safe, collection sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations and a drive-through drop-off process will be available.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

How to Safely Store Medications

Store medications in secure locations such as:

  • Medication lock box
  • Cabinet with lock
  • Or other lockable spaces

Avoid storage places where children and others can easily access, such as:

  • Drawers
  • Nightstands
  • Or kitchen cabinets

How to Dispose of Medications

Once finished with a medication, you have three options for disposal:

  1. 1. Safely dispose of medications by placing them in a local drop-box:
  • Lobby of Buncombe Sheriff’s Office – 339 New Leicester Highway, Asheville
  • Lobby of Buncombe County Courthouse – 60 Court Plaza, Asheville
  • Lobby of Asheville Police Department – 100 Court Plaza, Asheville
  • Call your local pharmacy to see if there is a drop box on site
  1. 2. Take advantage of community drug take-back programs that allow the public to bring unused medications to central locations for proper disposal.
  1. 3. No drop-box or take back near you?  Dispose medications safely at home:
  • Remove pills from bottle and mix them with undesirable substances such as kitty litter or coffee grounds.
  • Throw away the sealed mixture into the trash.
  • Remove the prescription label and dispose of the empty bottle.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 24 Take Back Day event, go to https://www.substancefreeyouth.com/