The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with The Yadkin River Keeper, is sponsoring a drug abuse prevention event, Operation Medicine Drop, in Lewisville on Thursday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the G. Galloway Reynolds Community Center, 131 Lucy Lane. This event is open to Forsyth County residents who would like to dispose of expired or unwanted prescription medications.
Since Operation Medicine Drop began in 2009, approximately 52.8 million doses have been turned in by North Carolina residents. Safe and proper disposal of old medications through Operation Medicine Drop events helps cut down on prescription drug abuse, environmental damage to streams and rivers, and prevents contamination of the local water supply.
Nationwide, fatal drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death due to unintentional injury, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Prescription and over-the-counter medications cause more than three-fourths of all unintentional poisonings in North Carolina, according to the N.C. Division of Public Health.
The average North Carolinian fills 14 prescriptions annually. Of the drugs dispensed, approximately 40% are not used. The unused medications are often disposed of in the garbage or flushed down the toilet. Both practices lead to water contamination. In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey identified 100 pharmaceutical contaminants in rivers and streams. The introduction of these chemicals is detrimental to aquatic life and those who directly or indirectly drink from the water supply. For more information, CLICK HERE