RUSK — Rusk residents now have a local place to safely dispose of unused prescription medications, just ahead of semiannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events set for this weekend.
Rusk Police during the first week in October installed a prescription drug drop box in the lobby of its police station at 219 S. Main St. There are two other drug drop-off boxes in Cherokee County, both of which are in Jacksonville.
Rusk Police Chief Jeremy Black said the box is a response to the neglected issue of opioid overdoses. He said nearly 70% of the almost 71,000 drug overdose deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019 were caused by opioids.
“We want to provide a safe place and a safe way for our citizens to properly dispose of their unused or unwanted prescription medications. so that they do not and cannot end up in the wrong hands,” Black said.
He also said many people are not sure how to properly dispose of unwanted or expired prescriptions. Flushing or throwing away medications is not safe, Black said.
“Then what do we do? You take them to a safe place — the Rusk Police Department — where they can be safely disposed of free of worry,” he said. “This benefits the community by reducing the amount of drugs in the wrong hands and/or in the wrong places.”
On Saturday, several East Texas cities will be participating in the semiannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations.
The Rusk police event will be at the Texas National Bank parking lot. The Tyler Police Department has set its event in the parking lot at Brookshire’s on Rice Road, while the UT Tyler Police will host another at the UT Health Science Center on U.S. 271. Other events are planned at Walmart in Kilgore and Marshall and Brookshire’s stores in Jefferson and Pittsburg.
“These events are a great way to not only encourage residents to dispose of their leftover prescription drugs, but to educate the community about how disposing prevents future substance abuse,” said Rebecca Smith, director of prevention programs at Next Step Community Solutions. “It’s also so nice to see folks come out and say a heartfelt ‘Thank you’ to local law enforcement.”
Residents are encouraged to bring their unneeded prescription drugs, other than needles or aerosols, to one of these events or drop boxes.
“Disposing of your drugs with law enforcement is the safest bet,” said Andy Erbaugh, public information officer with the Tyler Police Department. “There are no identifying questions asked at the event, so the process is totally anonymous, and afterward the drugs will be incinerated.”
For a list of drop box locations, visit easttexasrx.com.