Fort Campbell, KY – Spring is in the air, and that means time for spring cleaning – your medicine cabinet.
Members of the Fort Campbell community are encouraged to dispose of expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs from 10:00am to 2:00pm Saturday, April 30th, inside the Fort Campbell Main Post Exchange mall.
The semi-annual Drug Take Back Day is a collaborative effort by Fort Campbell Military Police, Army Substance Abuse Program, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Pharmacy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The drug take back service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked, Younger said.
“Sometimes, the easiest drugs to get are the ones in the home medicine cabinet,” he warned. “You get carded to buy alcohol, and it’s even harder to buy illegal drugs, but some kids don’t have any trouble walking into the bathroom and getting some kind of medication.”
For school-aged children or teens to take medications made for adults, there could be fatal consequences. If not fatal, prescription drug abuse could lead to a lifetime of addiction.
“These bi-annual Drug Take Back events held at Fort Campbell are a great way to promote the reason why turning in unused medication can be the safest bet for everyone,” said BACH’s chief of Pharmacy Lt. Col. Jeffrey Neigh.
In addition to the semi-annual Drug Take Back Day, BACH’s pharmacy team has made the disposal of unwanted drugs more convenient by providing Drug Drop Boxes at two of their pharmacies. The Town Center Pharmacy and the pharmacy at LaPointe Soldier Health Services offer Drug Drop Boxes on site during
business hours.
Items accepted include: prescription medications, controlled substance medication, over-the-counter medication, vitamins, medicated ointment/lotion, liquid medication in leak-proof containers, and transdermal skin patches. Items not accepted include: needles, thermometers, contraband drugs, infectious waste/medical waste, personal care products, business waste, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans, and inhalers.
Whether you select to drop off unused or unwanted medications at the pharmacy Drug Drop Box locations or you join others at the Fort Campbell Post Exchange to dispose of them, the most important thing is that you make your home a safer environment for you, your family, friends, and others.
“Most importantly,” Neigh said, “if you are finished with a medication, help ensure no one else has access to it. Not only could it harm a teenager experimenting, it could also be fatal to curious pets.”
