TAMPA, Fla. (October 11, 2018) – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is teaming up with law enforcement agencies and the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance (HCADA) in the Tampa Bay area on Saturday, October 27, 2018, for Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day gives people the opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and dispose of any unused or expired prescription drugs safely and anonymously in an effort prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.
It’s crucial to be aware of the dangers of keeping these old pills, particularly narcotic painkillers such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin.
The 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that nearly 19 million Americans, ages 12 or older, had abused or misused prescription drugs in the past year.
There are several collection sites throughout the Tampa Bay area:
2 Locations Sponsored by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
• CVS, 2109 State Road 60, Valrico, FL 33594
• Walgreens, 8398 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL 33615
2 Locations Sponsored by Tampa Police Department
• Winn Dixie, 2525 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33607
• CVS, 2502 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33614
1 Location Sponsored by Plant City Police Department
• CVS, 2302 James L Redman Parkway, Plant City, FL 33563
1 Location Sponsored by USF Police Department
• USF Morsani Center, 13330 Laurel Drive, Tampa, FL 33612
This time around there is a new partnership with the Big Red Bus. All of the sites will have red boxes on hand to collect any needles brought in, and the Big Red Bus will be at the Sheldon drop-off site. They will also provide donors with mini physicals, blood typing, cholesterol screenings and infectious disease screenings. HCADA will also have volunteers and substance abuse prevention educational materials at each site.
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About Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance:
Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance (HCADA) has been in existence, active in the community and supportive of law enforcement, the court system, prevention agencies, and substance abuse treatment providers since its inception in 1989. In 2003, HCADA restructured as a 501(c) (3) to apply for grant funding. Subsequently, HCADA expanded its community-based alcohol, tobacco and substance abuse education and prevention activities. It participates as well in the development of related planning strategies, statewide in scope, for the betterment of the Hillsborough County community. HCADA offers open membership and participation to all interested individuals and continues to provide a public forum for sharing information and new ideas. For more information about HCADA, visit www.hcada.com.