Lynchburg Police Department hosts event for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - The Lynchburg Police Department partnered with Horizon Behavioral Health Saturday to hold an event for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

Police departments all over the country participated in the national effort to safely dispose of prescription medications.

“We are collecting medications that people have just sitting around their home that they no longer need,” said Januwaa Davis, program manager of prevention and wellness services. “Whether it’s unused, unwanted or expired medications, this is an effort to try to keep medications out of the hands of those who are trying to get their hands on it and to protect our community from opioid overdose and deaths.”

Davis says in Virginia, there were about 2,300 overdose deaths last year. Currently in Virginia, six people per day die from an overdose.

“We know that central Virginia has not been spared the impact of this opioid epidemic,” added Davis. So, we’re really trying to give people a way to protect their own families, their neighbors, and anyone who may be coming in their home from getting their hands on these medications that are no longer needed in the home. This is just a great way to get rid of those things.”

National Drug Take Back Day is held every April and October. Last April, they collected 400 pounds of prescription drugs from the community.

“This is one of our ways that we combat overdoses throughout Lynchburg and this is a national event as well,” explained Logan Skillman, police officer with the Lynchburg Police Department. “If we have unwanted or unused prescriptions that are sitting around the house, you never know, friends, family, kids, people that hang around the house and work around the house could have access to those drugs. What we’re trying to do is decrease that access.”

To continue to decrease access after the event, Horizon Behavioral Health provides free lock boxes and prescription medication disposal bags.

Prescription drugs can also be turned into the Lynchburg Police Department from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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