Organizations prepare for Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Kathy Sullivan is the director of the Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition (or RAYSAC). The group is working with the Western Virginia Water Authority and other agencies to prepare for Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday. It's a chance for people to get rid of those unused medications before they fall into the wrong hands.

"One in seven high school aged youth have used prescription drugs to get high," said Sullivan.

Organizers said they're also concerned about people flushing unused prescription drugs down the drain because it could enter our water supply.

"For years, the standard to get rid of medicine was to simply pour it down the drain, but now science has caught up," said Sarah Baumgardner, with the Western Virginia Water Authority. "People who flush their medicines down the drain can flush trace amounts of chemicals through the waste water plant and send those out to the river."

Right now, Baumgardner said there aren't large amounts of substances in our water supply, but it's up to all of us to prevent it.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 30th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at nine locations across our area.

Here is a list of the locations:

Convenient parking lot locations in:

Roanoke - Roanoke Civic (Berglund) Center

Botetourt County - Daleville Kroger

Salem - Super Shoes on Main Street

Craig County - Market Street Pharmacy

Roanoke County - Tanglewood Mall Kroger,

Kroger on Valley Gateway Blvd., Kroger at

Colonial & Brambleton & the Hershberger Road

Fire and Rescue Station #1