Montgomery County Placing Secure Drop-Boxes For Prescription Drug Disposal
By Brad Segall
ABINGTON, Pa. (CBS) -- Montgomery County, Pa. is joining a number of Delaware Valley communities that are making it easier for people to properly dispose of their unwanted prescription drugs (see related stories).
DA Risa Ferman (at lectern in photo) says the county is setting up permanent secure collection boxes at ten locations throughout the county because children are becoming addicted to prescription drugs which they are getting from the medicine cabinets inside their homes.
There will be two boxes at the county courthouse in Norristown, and at eight others at police departments scattered throughout the county: Abington, Franconia, Hatfield, Limerick, Lower Merion, Pottstown, Souderton, and Upper Merion.
Outside the Abington police station today, Ferman says the goal of the program is education and prevention.
"We're not going to be able to stop crime fueled by these addictions without addressing the addictions," she said. "Prevention is the key, and the only way to prevent prescription drug abuse is to minimize the opportunities."
Law enforcement will empty the boxes and periodically turn the drugs over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for proper disposal.
Two years ago the county held a one-day drug takeback event and collected more than 500 pounds of unwanted and unused medications.
