Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
|
Mark Herring |
202 North Ninth Street |
For media inquiries only, contact:
Michael Kelly, Director of Communications
Phone: (804)786-5874
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DRUG TAKEBACK DAY EVENTS TO BE HELD ACROSS SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
~Attorney General Herring reminds Virginians to dispose of unused prescriptions, especially opioids, at one of many drop-off sites across the Commonwealth~
RICHMOND (April 24, 2018) - Attorney General Mark R. Herring is encouraging Virginians to take advantage of Saturday's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to dispose of unused or expired medications, especially prescription opioids, before they can be misused, abused, or accidentally ingested. Law enforcement agencies, community partners, and members of the Attorney General's team will be stationed at dozens of locations throughout the Commonwealth to accept medications for proper disposal. Takeback locations in Southwest Virginia, which will be open from 10am - 2pm, are listed below, and you can find a site near you by searching here.
"One of the simplest things we can all do to fight the opioid epidemic and make our homes and our communities safer is to get rid of unused prescriptions before they are misused, abused, or even accidentally ingested by a child or grandchild," said Attorney General Herring. "We know that opioid abuse often starts with drugs from the medicine cabinet, not the streets. Taking just a few minutes of your weekend to clean out your medicine cabinet and get rid of unneeded medication can be a huge step forward in making your home and you family safer."
There is a strong link between misuse of prescription opioids, opioid addiction, and even subsequent use of heroin once prescriptions become too expensive or are no longer accessible. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
- Heroin abuse is 19 times more likely among those who abuse prescription opioids.
- Half of young people who used heroin got started by abusing prescription opioids.
- One in fifteen individuals who misuse prescription opioid painkillers will try heroin within 10 years.
- Studies show a link between the availability of prescription and illicit drugs and the likelihood of abuse.
In Virginia, opioid overdose deaths have risen steadily since 2010:
- Heroin overdose deaths have risen more than 1,060% between 2010 and 2015, from 48 to 558.
- Fentanyl deaths have risen by over 1,500% percent from 2007 to 2017, from 48 to 770.
- Prescription opioid overdose deaths have risen 26% between 2007 and 2017, from 400 deaths to 504.
Attorney General Herring has made combating the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic a top priority, attacking the problem with a multifaceted approach that includes enforcement, education, prevention, and legislation to encourage reporting of overdoses in progress, expand the availability of naloxone, and expand access to the Prescription Monitoring Program. He has supported federal efforts to improve the availability of treatment and recovery resources and made prescription drug disposal kits available across the Commonwealth. Attorney General Herring recently outlined his recommended next steps for combating the crisis, focusing on law enforcement initiatives, support from the medical community, and recovery, treatment, prevention and education. He is also participating in a multistate investigation into the practices of drug manufacturers and distributors to determine what role they may have played in creating or prolonging the crisis.
Drug Takeback locations include:
|
BRISTOL SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY |
1320 EUCLID AVE |
BRISTOL |
VA, 24201 |
|
BRISTOL TENNESSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT |
BRISTOL POLICE DEPARTMENT |
801 ANDERSON STREET |
BRISTOL |
TN, 37620 |
|
SULLIVAN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE |
SULLIVAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
140 BLOUNTSVILLE BYPASS |
BLOUNTVILLE |
TN, 37617 |
|
ELIZABETHTON TN POLICE DEPARTMENT |
ELIZABETHTON POLICE DEPARTMENT |
525 EAST F STREET |
ELIZABETHTON |
TN, 37643 |
|
CARTER COUNTY SO |
CARTER COUNTY DETENTION CENTER |
900 3RD ST. |
ELIZABETHTON |
TN, 37643 |
|
RUSSELL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
BLUE DEVIL DRUG |
19408 HWY 58 |
CASTLEWOOD |
VA, 24224 |
|
WEBER CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT |
FOOD CITY - WEBER CITY |
FRANK B. SMITH LN |
WEBER CITY |
VA, 24290 |
|
JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
SHADY VALLEY FIRE DEPT. |
10114 US 421 N |
SHADY VALLEY |
TN, 37688 |
|
RUSSELL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY |
159 PITTSTON RD |
LEBANON |
VA, 24266 |
|
LEBANON POLICE DEPARTMENT |
WALMART |
1050 REGIONAL PARK ROAD |
LEBANON |
VA, 24266 |
|
KINGSPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT |
KINGSPORT JUSTICE CENTER |
200 SHELBY ST |
KINGSPORT |
TN, 37660 |
|
KINGSPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT |
V.O. DOBBINS COMPLEX |
301 LOUIS ST |
KINGSPORT |
TN, 37660 |
|
JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
BUTLER FIRE DEPARTMENT |
PIERCE TOWN ROAD |
BUTLER |
TN, 37640 |
|
DAMASCUS POLICE DEPARTMENT |
DAMASCUS TOWN PARK |
104 S BEAVER DAM AVE |
DAMASCUS |
VA, 24236 |
|
WASHINGTON COUNTY TENNESSEE SHERIFFS OFFICE |
GRAY COMMUNITY CHEST |
113 GRAY RURITAN DRIVE |
GRAY |
TN, 37615 |
|
WISE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY |
16410 WISE ST |
SAINT PAUL |
VA, 24283 |
|
JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
MOUNTAIN CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT |
210 SOUTH CHURCH STREET |
MOUNTAIN CITY |
TN, 37683 |
|
SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
336 WATER STREET |
GATE CITY |
VA, 24251 |
|
MOUNT CARMEL POLICE DEPT. |
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPT. |
213 HAMMOND AVENUE |
MOUNT CARMEL |
TN, 37645 |
|
BUCHANAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY PHARMACY |
18765 RIVERSIDE DRIVE |
VANSANT |
VA, 24656 |
|
JONESBOROUGH DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY |
JONESBOROUGH FIRE DEPT. |
123 BOONE STREET |
JONESBOROUGH |
TN, 37659 |
|
RUSSELL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
NEW GARDEN PHARMACY |
5300 REDBUD HWY |
HONAKER |
VA, 24260 |
|
COEBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT |
COEBURN FOOD CITY |
517 FRONT ST W |
COEBURN |
VA, 24230 |
|
SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD COUNTRY |
42158 US 58 |
DUFFIELD |
VA, 24244 |
|
WATAUGA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOSCOE FIRE DEPT. |
9230 HWY 105 SOUTH |
BANNER ELK |
NC, 28604 |
|
BIG STONE GAP POLICE DEPARTMENT |
FOOD CITY |
603 WOOD AVE W |
BIG STONE GAP |
VA, 24219 |
|
ERWIN POLICE DEPARTMENT |
CITY HALL |
211 N. MAIN AVENUE |
ERWIN |
TN, 37650 |
|
DICKENSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY |
410 CHASE STREET |
CLINTWOOD |
VA, 24228 |
|
NORTON POLICE DEPARTMENT |
CVS PHARMACY |
1128 PARK AVENUE |
NORTON |
VA, 24273 |
|
SMYTH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
MARION VA WALGREENS |
1102 NORTH MAIN ST |
MARION |
VA, 24354 |
|
WISE POLICE DEPARTMENT |
FOOD CITY |
207 WOODLAND DRIVE |
WISE |
VA, 24293 |
|
GRAYSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
CORNER CAFE & MARKET |
4013 TROUTDALE HIGHWAY |
MOUTH OF WILSON |
VA, 24363 |
|
RICHLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT |
RICHLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT |
1851 CRANWELL DRIVE |
RICHLANDS |
VA, 24641 |
|
HAWKINS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
HAWKINS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
117 JUSTIC CENTER DR |
ROGERSVILLE |
TN, 37857 |
|
LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
FOOD CITY STORE |
205 RIVER BEND ROAD |
PENNINGTON GAP |
VA, 24277 |
|
TAZEWELL (TOWN OF) POLICE DEPARTMENT |
TAZEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT |
211 CENTRAL AVE |
TAZEWELL |
VA, 24651 |