Missouri City Police Department Unveils New Prescription Drug Drop Box
To help cap the abuse of prescription drugs and improper disposal of the medicines, the Missouri City Police Department has added another crime prevention device to its toolbox: a prescription drug drop box located at Public Safety Headquarters, 3849 Cartwright Rd.
“The drop box will help safeguard citizens by keeping the pills from children and out of the water supply,” said Capt. Brandon Harris.
Nationwide, the abuse of prescription drugs is rising; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that 7 million Americans are addicted to them. A key population affected by the abuse is high school students, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2011, the agency noted that over-the-counter medications were one of the top narcotics misused by students in ninth- through 12th-grades.
Aiming to promote community awareness of the crisis, to combat illegal usage of the pills and to provide a place for proper disposal of the medications, police officials encourage residents to pay close attention to prescribed medicines in their homes and speak with their children about the dangers of drug abuse.
Experts caution that flushing drugs pollutes our precious water supply, and throwing them in the trash makes them easy targets for thieves, pets and wildlife. “This is important information for residents to know,” Harris said, noting also that federal regulations “prevent pharmacists from taking medications back once they are dispensed.”
For more information, contact Harris at 281.403.5847 or bharris@missouricitytx.gov.
Photo: The Missouri City Police Department now offers residents a prescription drug “take-back” drop box to help cap the abuse of prescription drugs and improper disposal of the medicines. It is located at Public Safety Headquarters, 3849 Cartwright Rd. Photo courtesy of Missouri City.