Southern states have big turnout for Drug Take Back event

By Staff Writer

Law enforcement officials in a Virginia county recently collected about 4,000 prescription pills as part of a national Drug Take Back weekend to keep unsafe medications away from children.

The Franklin News-Post reports that the county set up three drop-off locations and encouraged residents with unused or expired medication to turn them in. Most of the relinquished items were pills, but the sheriff's office said that inhalers, sprays and needles were also collected.

In neighboring West Virginia, the Herald-Dispatch reveals that one county collected more than 100 pounds of prescription pills. The news provider reports that approximately 2,400 pounds were accumulated statewide.

"This is an overwhelming response from the people of West Virginia, and it showed the depth of their concern for prescription pill abuse," a U.S. attorney told the news source.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, prescription drug abuse by teens exceeds marijuana use, and there are as many new abusers - aged 12 and older - of pain relievers as there are for marijuana.