‘Get these drugs off the streets’: No-questions-asked pill drop off planned Saturday

Published 12:10 am Wednesday, October 19, 2016

LAPLACE — The Centers for Disease Control estimate the number of people who abuse prescription drugs more than doubles the amount who abuse heroin, cocaine and hallucinogens combined.

With that it mind, St. John the Baptist Parish and the Drug Enforcement Agency will hold a prescription pill pick up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the 40th Judicial District Adult Drug Court building, located at 104 Ormond Blvd. (behind Sonic) in LaPlace.

Residents may bring any expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal with no questions asked. The service is anonymous; there will be nothing to sign. No liquids, needles or sharps will be accepted, only pills or patches.

“We just want to get these drugs off the streets,” said Albert “Ali” Burl III, director of the adult drug court.

Burl said statistics show one in 12 high school students have reported misusing prescription drugs that came from medicine cabinets in the home.

Besides the possibility of accidental poisonings and overdoes, the misuse of such drugs often leads to more serious drug addictions, including heroin.

Debbie Webber, Drug Enforcement Administration spokeswoman, said simple methods, such as flushing or throwing away prescription drugs leads to more problems.

“It can pollute the water systems and the landfills,” Webber said.

“We don’t want these drugs just lying around in the trash on the streets.”

Thus, the DEA began its prescription Take Back events in 2010 to help solve the problem. Saturday’s event is the first in St. John Parish but will coincide with events across the country.

Webber said past pick ups have proven very successful.

“In October (of 2015) we picked up 3,489 pounds of prescription drugs,” Webber said.

“In April of this year, we picked up 4,383 pounds. Nationwide, more than 350 tons of drugs were picked up. You can see the increase. We have increased every year.”

For more information go to dea.gov and click on the Got Drugs? icon.