The Bryan County Opioid Prevention Project (BCOPP) is working with local law enforcement to encourage Bryan County residents to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, October 26 at the Richmond Hill and Pembroke Police Departments, Richmond Hill Pharmacy, and Walgreens Pharmacy in Richmond Hill.

The DEA’s National Drug Take Back Day encourages law-enforcement agencies around the nation to host drug take-back events in their communities. They create safe, convenient, and environmentally-friendly opportunities for residents to dispose of their unused prescription drugs. Last April, during the 17^th National Drug Take Back Day, over 900,000 pounds of drugs were collected throughout the nation, which brought the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 11,816,393 pounds.

“Prescription drug abuse is a national and local public safety and health concern. Drug Take Back Day allows the opportunity for people to safely dispose of their unneeded and unused prescriptions, preventing them from falling in the wrong hands and causing drug addiction and overdose deaths – especially in our community’s youth,” said BCOPP Project Coordinator Wendy Dauphinee. “This is an important task that all Bryan County residents need to participate in to protect our community. We are very grateful to our partners and the Richmond Hill and Pembroke Police Departments for their continued support.”

Bryan County Opioid Prevention Project works with community partners to implement effective strategies to prevent opioid and prescription drug misuse and abuse in Bryan County communities.

Drop-off sites for DEA National Drug Take Back Day in Bryan County will be at the Richmond Hill Police Station, 120 Richard Davis Drive in Richmond Hill, Walgreens Pharmacy, 2270 US-17 in Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill Pharmacy, 2409 US-17 in Richmond Hill, and the Pembroke Police Station, 154 W Railroad St. in Pembroke. The drop boxes are close to the entrances of the police stations and people are free to utilize them without providing explanations to officers. Prescription drug drop boxes are also available year-round in the lobbies of the Richmond Hill Police Department and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office in Pembroke.