CUMMING - In an effort to curb prescription drug abuse in the county, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Department has installed a drug drop, or take-back, box in the county.
The box is be the first of its kind in the state of Georgia, according to officials with the FCSO.
The take-back box was provided through a grant program administered by the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, or NADDI.
Forsyth County Investigator Terry Hawkins, who was designated in April 2010 as the Sheriff's Office's Prescription Drug Diversion Investigator, worked on data to apply for the grant. The boxes are designed to be secured inside law enforcement facilities that will provide a depository for unwanted prescription drugs from households.
The box, located at 2985 Ronald Reagan Blvd. inside of the South Precinct, will be accessible from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. "Individuals can come in and drop unwanted prescription drugs into the box, no questions asked," said Sheriff Ted Paxton.
"We chose your county for various reasons to include your active and continued role in helping to fight prescription drug abuse and diversion," stated Adrienne Baker, president of Georgia NADDI.
In addition, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office had already set up several formal prescription drug drop-offs prior to getting the box. In 2010, 128 pounds of drugs were collected. In 2011, that increased to 259 pounds collected. So far in 2012, 40 pounds have been collected. "All of these collections have been very successful," added Sheriff Paxton.
Monday
May 20th, 2024
8:06AM
