New Prescription Drop-Off Boxes Implemented To Curb Opioid Abuse

Jan 23, 2018 6:46 PM EST

Lexington, SC (WOLO)– Next to the prescription drop off counter, you can now easily drop off your old medications and make sure they’re disposed of safely and easily. CVS unveiled new medication drop off boxes around the state, hoping to curb the opioid addiction problem across the country.

“When I was small, we had Mr. Yuck stickers that you put on all these chemicals under the cabinet. And it’s just a culture. So we have to get in the mind of the culture is that instead of putting that sticker on that Clorox bottle of poison under the counter, let’s get in the mindset of when we’re finished with that prescription, let’s take it and dispose of it properly. Not, I feel better, but I might need those two pills when I get sick next time. Let’s dispose of them,” Jay Koon said, Lexington County Sheriff.

Since 2014, Law enforcement officers have collected more than 125 tons– or 270-thousand pounds of unwanted medication according to CVS. Law enforcement and officials said this is a call to everyone to step up, and dispose of your unwanted medications properly to end this deadly epidemic.

“The war against the opioid epidemic has got to be fought by every single stakeholder. Not just those in the medical services community. It’s gotta be fought by them manufacturers. It’s gotta be fought by the distributors. It’s got to be fought by the retailers, the pharmacists, the doctors, the patients, law enforcement, the prosecutors, and anyone that is even alive today that knows a child or teenager, or senior citizen who may be using prescription medication involving opioids,” Alan Wilson said, Attorney General for South Carolina.

Attorney General Wilson said in 2016, the rate opioids were prescribing tripled, the number of infants born with opioid addiction has quadrupled, and South Carolina ranked 9th in the nation for opioid prescription rates.

“And again, the opioid epidemic, we’re not talking about seedy drug dealers on the street corner. We’re talking about people who are otherwise good people who maybe start off with an injury that leads to an addiction, which leads to illegal illicit drug use,” Wilson said.

Officials also announced another initiative to educate those on the dangers of opioid use, and purposely aiming for a smaller-bodied crowd.

“I really do think we need to be having age-appropriate conversations with kids. Because a lot of these kids in high school, elementary, middle school, are raiding grandma’s cabinet because they want to have a pill party,” Wilson said.

“We’ve just got to change that culture, to be a, just like those stickers way back when, you just got to get into that mindset this is what we’re going to do and we all pitch in,” Koon said.

The 22 new medication disposal units are being installed over the next several weeks at the following CVS Pharmacy locations:

Anderson
2814 North Main St.

Bishopville
523 South Main St.

Charleston
65 Sycamore Ave.

Cheraw
901 Market St.

Columbia

2571 Forest Dr.

4711-5 Forest Dr.

Florence

733 South Irby St.

3210 East Palmetto St.

Greenville
718 Mills Ave.
3218 West Blue Ridge Dr.
2401 East North St.