Grant helps Scott County collect old prescription drugs

BENTON, Mo. -- A relatively small box is helping the Scott County Sheriff's Department solve a large problem seen nationwide.

The department was one of 100 agencies nationwide to get a National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators Rx Drug Drop Box for free, according to Sheriff Rick Walter.

People with expired or unused prescription drugs can place them in the box, which is in the lobby of the department's office in Benton.

"This isn't just a problem in Scott County; it's a problem everywhere," Walter said. "This box is going to help people get rid of their drugs in the safest way possible."

Once placed in the box, the drugs are packaged for incineration and sent away. Burning the drugs is safer than any other method of disposal, Walter said, noting that flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the garbage can contaminate groundwater.

The department previously received a permit from the Drug Enforcement Administration to receive prescription drugs for a one-day collection event in Sikeston, Mo., Walter said. That permit was extended for the drop box, he said.

If prescription medications are not disposed of, they can end up in the wrong hands, Walter said.

"Prescription drugs are worth quite a lot on the street," Walter said. "They're cleaner than street drugs, and sometimes people even trade in street drugs for prescriptions."

The box was installed Sept. 13 and is available during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box is under 24-hour surveillance and emptied every day.

Even if his department had not received the box for free, Walter said he would have found a way to buy it because it is so important. Since its installation, about six people have used the box.

"Law enforcement has to be the one to take [expired or unused prescription drugs] back," Walter said, adding that he hoped other agencies would look into getting one.

While it may not have a drop box, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department is making progress in eliminating unused and expired prescription drugs from the community, Sheriff John Jordan said.

The department pairs with the Drug Enforcement Agency frequently to provide safe places to dispose of prescription drugs.

"This is definitely a problem that's hard to address," he said. "There's not a lot you can do unless someone is selling the drugs and they're not in their original containers."

Despite being difficult to stop, prescription drug trade and abuse in Cape Girardeau County has been adequately handled by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, Jordan said.

"They've been able to divert a lot of drugs," Jordan said. "They're doing a good job."

psullivan@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

131 S. New Madrid St., Benton, MO