Sheriff’s Office partners again with Walgreens in Chalmette on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the store parking lot;

A woman empties prescription pill bottles she is surrendering into a container at the Sheriff’s Office drug Take-Back Day in September 2014.

With an average of 110 Americans dying each day from prescription drug overdoses, St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann is urging residents not to let their unused prescription medications such as pain-killer pills fall into the wrong hands.

Instead, turn them in to the Sheriff’s Office prescription drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 in a partnership with the Walgreens pharmacy in Chalmette at Judge Perez Drive and Paris Road. The take-back, in the store parking lot, is being held in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

“Don’t let young people get hooked on pills they find while visiting you,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said, and “don’t throw medication in the garbage where it can be found or down the toilet where it can end up affecting wildlife or seafood in marshes.’’

“Instead, bring any medication you don’t use to us so it can be destroyed properly.’’

The effort is important, the sheriff said, because studies show young people often abuse prescription drugs after stealing them from medicine chests at the homes of relatives or at parents of friends.

Agents from the Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division, commanded by Maj. Chad Clark, will be at the store to receive all forms of prescription medication, which will be turned over to DEA to be burned.
Residents are reminded they can also call the sheriff’s 271-DOPE hot line (271-3673) at any time they want to turn in prescription drugs between official drug take-back days. A Narcotics Unit agent will call them back to make arrangements.
Also, residents should call the same number to anonymously report any suspected illegal drug activity. All calls will be acted upon.
The Sheriff’s Office has participated for several years in the national drug take-back day and locally it was the Sheriff’s Office that began its own take-back day in 2009 called “Operation Medicine Cabinet,’’ which encouraged residents to clean out their medicine cabinets of old prescription drugs and turn them in to the department.

Walgreens has partnered with the Sheriff’s Office to take back drugs the past several years.