More than 100 pounds of medication collected at St. Bernard Drug Take-Back Day

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Lt. Ricky Jackson, an officer with the Special Investigations Division’s FBI Task Force, left, and Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force, right, with one of the eight boxes of unused medication surrendered by residents at the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Take-Back Day held April 29 in Arabi.

Weighing one of the eight boxes of unused and unwanted medication surrendered at the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Drug Take-Back Day held April 29 are, from left: St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force; Alan Clesi, a diversion investigator with the Drug Enforcement Administration; and St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Lt. Ricky Jackson, an officer with the Special Investigations Division’s FBI Task Force.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Pat Childress, an officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Task Force, helps a resident dropping off unwanted medication at the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Take-Back Day held April 29 in Arabi.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said more than 100 pounds of unwanted drugs were collected at the Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Take-Back Day held April 29 in Arabi.

In just four hours, narcotics agents at the Sheriff’s Office substation located at 7001 W. Judge Perez Drive accepted 110 pounds of unwanted or expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from residents. The purpose of the Drug Take-Back is to ensure the medication doesn’t fall into the wrong hands and also so it can be disposed of properly.

“This program has been a very useful tool for us in ensuring unused medications don’t end up being misused by someone or sold illegally on the street,” Sheriff Pohlmann said. “It also helps prevent residents from throwing unwanted medications in the garbage or down the toilet where it can end up negatively impacting our environment.’’

The Drug Take-Back initiative, part of a national effort spearheaded by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, has seen more than 4.8 million pounds of prescription drugs collected since its inception in 2010. The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office began its own program prior to the DEA starting the national program.

St. Bernard residents who were unable to attend the local take-back event can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (504) 271-DOPE or 3673 at any time to speak with a deputy about surrendering unwanted medications, Sheriff Pohlmann said. A narcotics officer will return the call and make arrangements to collect and destroy the drugs.