Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
County taking part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
WEST CHESTER >> The Chester County Department of Drug & Alcohol Services is spreading community awareness for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 26. Organized nationwide by the Drug Enforcement Administration, this event provides temporary sites for safe, convenient and responsible disposal of prescription drugs, while educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
In addition to several permanent disposal sites in Chester County, temporary sites will be available in Berwyn, Coatesville, Downingtown, and Kennett Square.
Misuse of prescription drugs is an ever-growing epidemic in Chester County and across the nation. Commonly misused prescription drugs fall into three categories: opioids used to relieve pain with a similar chemical make up as heroin; sedatives - used to treat anxiety and depression; and stimulants – used to increase attention, energy, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the average age for the first use of prescription drugs in the US is 13 years old. Prescription drugs are often mistaken by adolescents as a “safe” alternative to illegal drugs. In addition, prescription drugs can be easily accessible in medicine cabinets and homes. Both of these factors lead to increased use.
“To help decrease first time use of prescription drugs, it is imperative to begin with prevention efforts,” said Vince Brown, Director of the Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services. “In addition to education and awareness, prescription drug misuse prevention includes locking up or monitoring prescription medications that are in the home and disposing of any unneeded or expired prescription medications at a medication collection box.”
Prescription painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet, Oxycodone, Fentanyl, and Morphine essentially have the same chemical makeup as heroin, which means they affect the brain and body the same. Opioid prescription drugs play a large role in the current opioid and heroin epidemic in Chester County and in the nation.
Chester County remains committed to tackling the opioid and heroin epidemic through intensive prevention, education, treatment, and law enforcement measures, coordinated by the Overdose Prevention Task Force. To learn more, or to get involved, visit StopODChesco.org or download the Opioid Epidemic Community Tool Kit.