If you’ve got a medicine cabinet full of prescription drugs and other pills and medicine bottles that you don’t need anymore – well, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) want you to turn them over so they don’t fall in the wrong hands, and so the drugs can be disposed of properly.
You’re not supposed to flush old medicine down the toilet or just throw it in the trash. The proper way to dispose of drugs is to hand them over at a new drop-off point established by the two law enforcement departments.
According to a press release sent out on Friday, March 19, describing the service, medications are the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths among children. In some cases, infants get the drugs and eat them – not realizing what they are. In other cases, a party guest who uses your restroom may snoop through your medicine cabinet to find a drug that that might meet the needs of his or her drug addiction.
Some people assume it’s safe to flush the drugs down the toilet, however, that puts the sometimes dangerous drugs into the environment.
In order to prevent a tragedy or some other drug-disposal related problem collect all your out of date and no longer needed medications and drop them off on Monday, March 22 at the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department administrative offices at 400 W. Washington St. in downtown Greensboro.
The event is part of Operation Medicine Drop, a program that has disposed of more than 232 million prescription and over-the-counter pills since 2010. The program’s backers say it’s saved “countless lives as well as the environment.”
In North Carolina, the SBI helps law enforcement agencies sponsor Operation Medicine Drop to collect and destroy prescription drugs. Advocates point out that you can help your family and community by keeping unused or expired medications out of the wrong hands.
If you have any questions about the program, you can contact Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Master Corporal A. Almonor aalmono@guilfordcountync.gov.
Last year, I had surgery. I had an RX for Oxycodone if I needed it. We have four “friends” over to visit. The following day, I noticed my RX was missing. One my guests used our washroom, so I know who took it. I just let it be.
So this stuff should be disposed of properly.
You should be put in jail for abetting a criminal. Law and order only sometimes.
Ah hah! Someone stole from me, but it’s my fault? You must know my ex-wife. Someone stole from our car parked in our carport, unlocked. She said it was my fault.
You must be a Democrat.
Geez, thanks for making the dropoff so very convenient. I’m sure tons of people will be there to dispose of their out-of-date medications.
(Next time could you set up a place that’s midway between GSO and HP in a large, free parking lot, like near Wendover and I-40 for the drop zone? I’m not driving through downtown and trying to find a parking space to dump old drugs.)
You drive thru the Sheriff parking lot with many deputies standing by to receive your medication(s). Very easy to do. I did it this morning.
Did they use them while you were there?
Why not have a place where everyone has access to rather than down town?
you can drop them by my place anytime. I am desperate in NC.