Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan wants to remind the public the Office will be hosting a Drug Take Back Saturday, Sept. 26, for anyone wanting to dispose of unwanted and/or expired prescription and non-prescription drugs.. The event to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the WCSO Office at 105 East High Street in Lebanon is in conjunction with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) National Take Back Initiative. A bin will be set up in the WCSO lobby area to drop off medications. No questions will be asked.
“It’s important to properly dispose of any prescription drugs you are not longer taking or are expired,” Sheriff Robert Bryan said. “The medicine cabinet is many times the first place young people look to begin experimenting with drugs. Unfortunately, many of us know all too well this can lead to addiction and overdoses, often involving our loved ones.”
State officials recently noted that death by drug overdoses was one of the leading causes of death in Tennessee. In Wilson County, there were a total of 1,061 deaths in 2014 with drug overdoses (26) surpassing all deaths involving the discharge of firearms (17) and motor vehicle accidents, totaling 14.
“It’s important to keep track of what kind of medications you have and how many tablets, pills, etc. you have used,” the sheriff said. “Just as you keep dangerous products out of reach of children, you may even consider keeping your medications in a locked cabinet. This is especially true if you have young people in the house who you may have never even suspected might try a medication you’re taking.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back events provide an obviously needed and valued service to the public, while also reducing prescription drug abuse and trafficking, the sheriff said. “By taking these medications with no questions asked, the DEA is helping make Wilson County a safer place. We appreciate cooperative agency efforts such as this one to enable the public to regularly, safely, and conveniently dispose of such medicines when they are no longer needed or wanted.”