SPD participating in National Drug Take Back Day event on Saturday, April 30

Posted on by Mike Fuhrman

Special to Iredell Free News

The Statesville Police Department will be participating in the 22nd DEA sponsored National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be two drive-thru locations to collect expired, unused, and unwanted medications from community members looking to properly dispose of these medications. Last year the SPD collected and disposed of 360 pounds of expired, unused, and unwanted medications from several local Take Back events in Statesville.

Locations

♦ CVS Pharmacy located at 1550 Wilkesboro Highway, Statesville; and
♦ Walgreen’s Pharmacy located at 951 Davie Avenue, Statesville

According to the DEA, drug overdose deaths are up 16 percent in the last year, claiming more than 290 lives every day. A report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration concluded that a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, more than 106,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, marking the most drug-related deaths ever recorded, with opioid-related deaths accounting for 75 percent of all overdose deaths.

For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans dispose of unneeded medications, that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed, that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 15 million pounds of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the overdose epidemic in the United States.

Free Car Seat Checks

The SPD will also be partnering with the Iredell Safe Kids Coalition to offer additional safety information and free car seat checks at the CVS location at 1550 Wilkesboro Highway in conjunction with the Take Back event. You can bring your vehicle and car seat by this location and have it checked by certified Child Seat Safety Technicians. The technicians can assist you with proper installation and answer any questions you may have regarding your car seat.