Richland sheriff, Columbia police ask people to turn in unused pain meds. Here’s how.
Last year more people died of drug overdoses in Richland County than the previous year, Sheriff Leon Lott said at a Friday news conference.
He and others hope at least one life can be saved by asking people to get rid of unused prescription pain medications on Saturday during National Drug Take Back Day.
“You can help save someone’s life,” Lott said at the conference.
Lott and state Attorney General Alan Wilson along with the Columbia Police Department are encouraging people to turn in prescription opoids that may be sitting around people’s houses.
People can turn in the drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Richland County Sheriff’s Department headquarters at 5623 Two Notch Road or the Columbia Police Department station at 1 Justice Square off Washington Street. The drop-off sites are drive through so people don’t have to get out of their vehicles. Collection sites accept tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids, syringes and illegal drugs are not accepted.
Drug drop-off sites elsewhere in South Carolina and in other states can be found at TakeBackDay.DEA.gov.
Common prescription opioids and opiates are Percocet, OxyContin, Lortab and Vicodin. Fentanyl is also a powerful opioid that can be prescribed.
“There’s no question that South Carolina has an opioid crisis and this is a way anyone with unused opioids can fight that,” Wilson said in a statement. “We know that most people who are prescribed opioids don’t use all of them. We also know that most people who start using heroin did so after first becoming addicted to prescription opioids.”
“Senior citizens are especially likely to keep unused pills,” the AG’s Office said in the statement. “A grandparent’s medicine cabinet is an easy place for teenagers or other loved ones to fuel their addiction. Check your own medicine cabinet first and encourage loved ones to clean out their unused medications too.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the COVID-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.
South Carolina saw the same trend. Drug overdoses increased in the state during the pandemic as The State reported in July 2020.
Saturday will be the 20th National Drug Take Back day put on the by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Last October, South Carolinians dropped off 11,757 pounds of medications and vaping devices and cartridges, which are also being taken on Saturday, according to the AG’s office.