Operation Medicine Cabinet March 13th, 2010!
FACT: According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use
and Health conducted by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA), every day, 2,500 youngsters age 12
to 17 try a painkiller for the first time, and teens abuse prescription
drugs more than any illicit street drug except marijuana.
Operation Medicine Cabinet, a day of amnesty to dispose of unused,
unwanted and expired medications in the home, is currently being
planned for early 2010. The program will allow people to drop off
their unwanted medicines to law enforcement
officials who will dispose of them in a safe
and non-hazardous manner.
More than 70% of people who abuse
prescription painkillers say they get them from home or right out of the medicine cabinets of family or friends. Operation Medicine Cabinet provides a way to join the fight against drug abuse, protect your family and pets against accidental ingestion and help keep our water clean and safe.
FACT:A vast array of
pharmaceuticals—including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex
hormones—have been
found in the drinking
water supplies of at least 41
million Americans, according to an Associated
Press investigation. (USA Today, 3/11/08)
Operation Medicine Cabinet protects the environment and prevents pollution by helping our community
properly dispose of unused medications. Studies show that flushing
medications down the toilet or sink drain contaminates water supplies
and endangers aquatic life in our rivers and streams; wastewater
facilities aren’t designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals.
Operation Medicine Cabinet not only educates the public about the hazards of improper
medication storage and disposal, but helps citizens get involved in making a
difference in their communities.
White Oak-New Riverkeeper
Alliance, the Onslow County Sheriff's Department,
ONWASA, NC Cooperative Extension, Jacksonville Police Department and the city of Jacksonville have come together to support Operation Medicine Cabinet and to educate Onslow County
residents about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and the easy
accessibility of these drugs.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need volunteers to help plan and execute the project and "day-of" volunteers to guide traffic, set up and clean up.
Prescription Drug Abuse Among Juveniles On the Rise in Onslow County