Permanent Prescription Drug Drop Off Site Established in Pettis County Sheriff’s Lobby

For the last couple of years, Bothwell Regional Health Center has run a prescription drop off for expired or unwanted prescriptions, but those drives were only done once or twice a year.  Now you can drop off unwanted prescriptions at the Pettis County Sheriff's Lobby at 319 South Lamine at your leisure.  The location is one of ten permanent drop box locations across the state, part of a Missouri Youth/Adult Alliance (MYAA) program to reduce prescription drug abuse.

“We get calls regularly from residents asking what to do with their unused medications," said Pettis County Sheriff Kevin Bond.  "Thanks to the cooperative efforts of the health center and Pathways, we now have a location where drugs can be dropped off for proper disposal.”

“Pathways Community Healthcare and the Pettis County Health Center have been working closely with Sheriff Kevin Bond to give Pettis County residents an easy way to keep their medicine cabinets clean,” said Cindy Gunter, coalition coordinator with Pathways.  “According to the 2010 Missouri Student Survey, one in ten youth abused prescription drugs, so it is important to do as much as we can to make these kinds of substances less available.”

In addition to the drop off at the Sheriff's Lobby, Bond has further established an agreement with Morgan County Sheriff Jim Petty to dispose of the collected medications in his agency’s drug incinerator.  This allows the Sheriff’s Office to be in compliance with DEA disposal regulations.