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Ellis County citizens participated in the National DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Event on Saturday, April 27.
After cleaning out their medicine cabinets of expired and unused prescription and over-the-counter medications, they disposed of them at one of the drug take back locations around the county for an environmentally safe and proper disposal.
This program is a partnership of the DEA, Drug Prevention Resources, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Ellis County Constable Pct. 1, Ennis, Ferris, Italy, Milford, Maypearl, Midlothian, Palmer, and Waxahachie Police Departments, Ennis ISD PD, Ennis ISD, Waxahachie ISD, and IMPACT Communities Coalitions.
Collections for the participating RX Take Back sites on April 27th were Ennis (257 lbs.), Ferris (27 lbs.), Italy, (28 lbs.,), Maypearl (16 lbs.,) Midlothian (215 lbs.), Milford (28 lbs.,), Palmer (19 lbs.,), Red Oak (164 lbs.), and Waxahachie (363 lbs.), a total of 1,117 lbs. of expired and unused medications collected in Ellis County.
The Prescription Drug Take Back is part of a national effort by law enforcement and community coalitions to reduce the availability of unmonitored medications in home medicine cabinets.
Each day, approximately 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, as well as their home medicine cabinet.
“Turning medications into law enforcement officers is the best way to safely dispose of these potentially hazardous materials and keep them away from our youth.
“Please do not throw away or flush medications down a toilet, which results in contamination of our local water supplies and landfills. This causes the contaminants to leak into our soil and water supplies without the hope of removal even chemical removal.”
Ellis County currently has eight permanent drop box locations that people can take and drop off unused or expired prescription or over-the-counter medications year round. Locations are:
• Ennis - Ellis County Constable Pct. 1 (207 S. Sonoma Trail)
• Ferris – Ferris Police Department (111 Ewing Blvd.)
• Italy – Italy Police Department (161 W. Main)
• Maypearl – Maypearl Police Department (104 E. Second St.)
• Midlothian – Midlothian Police Department (1150 N. US Hwy 67)
• Milford - Milford Police Department (107 S. Main St.)
• Red Oak – Red Oak Police Department (547 N. Methodist St.)
• Waxahachie – Waxahachie Police Department (630 Farley St.)
For more information regarding the Prescription Drug Take Back, or questions on the permanent prescription drop box locations in Ellis County please contact IMPACT Communities at 972-937-1531, visit our website www.TheRxDropBox.com, or email us at info@drugfreegen.org.
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