KATY [October 5, 2018] – The Katy ISD Police Department in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to safely dispose of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications. According to the DEA, pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. Needles or sharp objects will not be accepted and any liquids must be in prescribed containers. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
“Many families could be harboring dangerous prescription drugs in their own medicine cabinet without even knowing it,” said Katy ISD Police Chief Robert Jinks. “Not disposing of these medications creates an easy access for students to obtain and abuse this types of prescriptions. Through the drug take back program residents have a better and safe option to dispose of these items,” added Jinks.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Last April, Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA.
What: National Prescription Drug Take Back Event
Where: Mark L. Hopkins Law Enforcement Center
20370 Franz Road
Katy, TX 77449
When: October 27, 2018
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Contact: Maria Corrales-DiPetta, Manager for Media Relations & Multimedia
281-396-2298