DOUGLAS E. MOONEY Chief of Police
October 18, 2011
For immediate release
National Take Back Initiative
FARMVILLE, VA - Each day, over 2,000 teenagers use prescription drugs to get high for the very first time. This is according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America which also tells us that most of these drugs are obtained through friends, family, and home medicine cabinets. In an effort to stem that tide, the Farmville Police Department and Longwood University Police Department will again join with law enforcement agencies across the nation on October 29, 2011 as part of the third National Drug Take Back Initiative. This initiative is designed to remove potentially dangerous prescription and other medications from homes by allowing citizens to anonymously dispose of them in a safe manner. Last year, agencies collected over 121 tons of prescription drugs for proper disposal. The Farmville Police Department and Longwood University Police Department collected 20.5 pounds of prescription drugs last May.
From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. officers from both departments will be collecting unwanted or expired medications at Midtown Square between Barnes & Noble Bookstore and Chick-fil-A. Citizens may drive through to drop off medications, with no questions asked and without having to exit their vehicles. To remain anonymous, donors should remove the labels from all containers, or they may dump loose medications directly into our collection box. However, any liquids should remain sealed in their own containers. Intravenous solutions, injectables, and syringes cannot be accepted at this time.
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Authorized by: Chief Doug Mooney. For more information, please contact Detective Chris Moss at 434-392-9259.
