Rapid City, S.D. – The Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office will partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration for the fourth nationwide prescription take-back day on Saturday, Sept. 29.

The initiative seeks to prevent increased prescription drug abuse and theft. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Studies show that the majority of teenagers using prescription drugs get them from friends and family, including from their home medicine cabinets. In addition, more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined.

A major contributing factor to the increased abuse of prescription drugs is their availability. Patients often leave unused medications in the cabinet long after they stop taking them, making the drugs easily accessible to others.

 

The take-back prescription drug event provides an opportunity for the public to properly and safely dispose of old, unwanted medications. Local residents may drop off their prescription drugs in the Public Safety Building lobby from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The service is anonymous and free.

 

The DEA hosts a National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day every six months. At the April 2012 event, Rapid City area law enforcement collected 222 pounds of prescription drugs for disposal.

The police department also maintains two permanent drop-boxes for Rapid City residents to bring their unwanted medications for safe disposal, located at:

 

·         Evidence Building Lobby, 129 St. Joseph Street

Drop off medications between 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Friday

·         Public Safety Building Lobby, 300 Kansas City Street

Drop off medications between 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday-Friday

 

In 2011, the Rapid City Police Department collected a total of 465 pounds of prescription drugs for safe disposal. So far in 2012, the department has already collected 436 pounds.

 

 

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