Residents of Pueblo County have the opportunity to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired and unused prescription medications, as the local sheriff's office collaborates with the Drug Enforcement Administration to host a collection event. Scheduled for October 25, the initiative is part of the National Drug Take Back Day, aimed at preventing drug abuse and ensuring safe disposal of unwanted medicines.
According to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, sheriff’s deputies will be stationed at two sites from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to collect these medications. Residents can drop off their prescription drugs anonymously and free of charge at the Pueblo West Substation and the Pueblo Rural Fire Station. Valley Health Mart Pharmacy will also participate, with collection hours running until 1:30 p.m.
The service does come with certain stipulations; sharps, mercury thermometers, oxygen containers, chemotherapy substances, pressurized canisters, and illicit drugs are not accepted. "Items that will be accepted are: tablets, capsules, patches, liquids," as per the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, adding that liquids must be "tightly sealed in original containers and limited to 4 ounces," and for vaping devices, "lithium batteries must be removed."
Studies have demonstrated that a significant number of abused prescription drugs find their origins not in some dark alley or shadowy figure but closer to home, often sourced from the medicine cabinets of family and friends. It is this disconcerting reality that the Drug Enforcement Administration seeks to change with its biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back events. The ultimate goal is to remove the risk of misuse from our own corridors and drawers, ensuring a safer community.
