Proclamation: County Commission proclaims April 30, 2011 as "Prescription Drugs Take Back Day"

06/29/2011
Office of the County Commission P R O C L A M A T I O N For Douglas County, Kansas WHEREAS: Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse; and WHEREAS: Nationally, emergency room visits involving pharmaceutical drugs in 2009 (1.2 million) were up 10 percent over 2008 (1.1million); and WHEREAS: The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most prevalent category of drug abuse in the United States, with more Americans abusing prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogens combined; and WHEREAS: Six of the top ten substances abused by 12th graders were prescription or over the counter medications, and the majority of Americans 12 and older who abused prescription drugs got them from friends and family, including from their home medicine cabinets; and WHEREAS: Unused medicines should not be shared or thrown in the trash where others can find them; and WHEREAS: Recent studies have detected pharmaceutical drugs in varying concentrations in our nation's water supplies and waterways. NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of County Commissioners of Douglas County, Kansas, does hereby proclaim April 30, 2011 as Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, and encourage all Douglas County residents to dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications at the drop-off site next to the courthouse between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, Saturday April 30th. Dated this 20th day of April, 2011. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, KANSAS Jim Flory, Chairman Mike Gaughan, Vice-Chair Nancy Thellman, Member

Related Links:
County Commission - http://www.douglas-county.com/online_services/ad/ad_commission_agendas_archive.aspx

Media Contact:
Robin Crabtree, Administration
Administration Department
785-832-5268
rcrabtree@douglas-county.com