By: Evan Bevins | Posted: April 25, 2018 | Source: The Marietta Times
PARKERSBURG — That prescription you got filled then never finished doesn’t have to take up space in your medicine cabinet anymore — or pose a potential health and safety risk.
In an effort to keep unused medication from finding its way into the possession of curious children and pets, experimenting teens or experienced drug abusers, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency is once again sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. There are 14 locations between Wood and Washington counties alone, and a number in surrounding counties as well, offering the service from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“You prevent the possibility of a kid getting ahold of it or a drug addict getting ahold of it,” said Sgt. R.E. Richardson, with the Parkersburg detachment of the West Virginia State Police.
Take Back Day, now in its 15th year, has worked in concert with the DEA implementing stricter controls on prescriptions and better education for physicians and pharmacists to address crimes related to medication abuse, Wood County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Robert Sims said.
“We really had an issue a number of years ago with people breaking into homes looking for those prescription pills,” he said. The Take Back Day “has been a mechanism that has helped us in some ways.”
Sims said there is a limit on what items can be brought to the Take Back events.
“It’s for pills only,” he said. “They do not accept liquids or needles or any type of inhalers or nebulizers.”
The locations in the Mid-Ohio Valley listed online at takebackday.dea.gov are:
Wood County
- Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department, 1695 Elizabeth Pike, Mineral Wells
- CVS Pharmacy, 2323 Murdoch Ave., Parkersburg
- Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department, 1340 Harris Highway, Parkersburg
- West Virginia State Police barracks, 3828 Staunton Turnpike, Parkersburg
- Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, 609 28th St., Vienna
- Waverly Volunteer Fire Department, 15425 Emerson Ave., Parkersburg
- Williamstown Police Department, 100 W. Fifth St., Williamstown
Washington County
- White Oak Pharmacy, 8465 Ohio 339, Barlow
- Belpre Senior Center, 1614 Washington Blvd., Belpre
- Fort Frye High School, 420 Fifth St., Beverly
- Corner of Second and Putnam streets, Marietta
- Devola Medical Center, 4727 Ohio 60, Marietta
- Hardware Components Inc., 1021 Park Ave., New Matamoras
- Buckeye Hills Area Agency on Aging, 1400 Newport Pike, Reno
Athens County
- Athens Elks Lodge, 600 W. Union St., Athens
Calhoun County
- Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, 363 Main St., Suite 204, Grantsville
Doddridge County
- Doddridge County Sheriff’s Department, 89 Court St., West Union
Jackson County
- Kenna Volunteer Fire Department, West Virginia 21 at Pleasant Valley Road, Kenna
- Ravenswood Volunteer Fire Department, 333 Virginia St., Ravenswood
- Ripley City Hall, 203 South Church St., Ripley
Pleasants County
- Phillips Pharmacy, 329 Second St., St. Marys
Roane County
- Spencer Police Department, 116 Court St., Spencer
Tyler County
- Sistersville Police Department, 200 Diamond St., Sistersville
Wetzel County
- New Martinsville Fire Department, 400 Ohio St., New Martinsville
