Published: May 12, 2008 09:37 am            

Clean out those medicine cabinets

With teeanger prescription drug abuse at an all-time high, the time has come to clean out those medicine

cabinets.

The Mayes County Medicine Cabinet Cleanout is Monday, May 12, from 4 to

7 p.m., at the Mayes County Fairgrounds.

The cleanout is for unwanted or expired prescription medications.

The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office volunteered to offer the cleanout to the community after a series in The Daily Times exposed the growing prescription drug problem.

“It’s a good opportunity to partner with The Daily Times to try and get some of the prescription pills out of the hands of teenagers,” said Investigator Charles Smallwood, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s very dangerous, not to mention the long term effects prescription drugs have on the body.”

Smallwood said the sheriff’s office has seen prescription drug abuse rise in younger generations faster than the methamphetamine epidemic did years ago.

“It’s become a bigger and bigger problem with kids,” said Sheriff Frank Cantey. “People don’t know what to do. We hope this brings it to light.”

It’s estimated one out of every 10 eighth grade students have tried prescription drugs. What makes the problem hard to fight is the availability of the medications.

Almost every household contains some type of prescription medication. Often, adults don’t need the entire prescription and store it, then forget the drugs are in their medicine cabinet.

So the sheriff’s office and The Daily Times are offering the community a safe place to get rid of their old prescriptions and keep them out of the hands of children.

Sheriff Cantey said the biggest benefit of the medicine cabinet cleanout is to make people aware.

“There is a problem and it’s a growing problem, not just in Mayes County, but all over the states,” he said.

“This is a huge issue,” said Amy Johns, The Daily Times Publisher. “We are interested in affecting people and making a difference. This is a fantastic addition to Sommer’s (Woodward) series on this epidemic.”

Sheriff’s office personnel will be on site to dispose of the medications.. No over-the-counter medication will be accepted. All medications need to be in their original containers, if possible. The sheriff’s office will not dispose of medications for commercial establishments.

For information, call Sommer Woodward,

825-3292.

        

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