The City of Dunkirk Police Department, WCA ALSTAR Ambulance, The Village of Fredonia Police Department, the Village of Silver Creek Police Department, the Village of Westfield Police Department, SUNY Fredonia Police and the Chautauqua County Sheriffs Department in cooperation with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are coordinating National Prescription Drug Drop Off Day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WCA ALSTAR Services has again provided its North Headquarters for the drive in drop off location. ALSTAR North is located behind School 3 at Route 60 and Orchard Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issues leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse.
In many states, deaths from prescription drugs now exceed those from motor vehicle accidents. In 2010 it was reported that the number of people seeking treatment for painkiller addiction had increased 400 percent within the last 10 years.
A 2009 showed that the majority of the teenagers (62 percent) using prescription drugs got them from family and friends including from medicine cabinets in their own homes. Unintentional overdose deaths from prescription opiods increased 175 percent over a 5-year period.
In a 2008 report it was noted that there were 6.2 million Americans aged 12 years and older who abused prescription drugs within the past month with seven of the 10 most commonly abused drugs by teenagers being prescription medicine.
Proper disposal of unused or expired prescription drugs can eliminate temptation for abuse and the temptation for them to be stolen from a residence.
The proper disposal also does not affect the environment which can happen if they are flushed into the sewer systems. Most importantly, proper disposal can help lower the death rate related to overdose and abuse, especially in children and young adults.
Take the time to empty your shelves and cabinets from unused and expired prescription drugs and bring them to the drop off point at ALSTAR Ambulance behind School 3 in Dunkirk. This will be a drive in and drop off with no questions asked.
