MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County will once again participate in their 15th straight National Drug Take-Back Day.
The National Drug Take Back initiative will include three locations where residents can discreetly return any type of opioid or other unused prescription drug.
“This is for people to come in and bring back drugs that are expired or that have been in their residence that they want to get rid of,” Monongalia County Sheriff Perry Palmer said. “Whatever they need to bring in, they can bring them in no questions asked and drop them off in our box.”
Despite the recent incentives to help combat opioid abuse, West Virginia is currently one the country’s most affected states when it comes to opioid abuse — leading the nation from 2010 to 2016 in opioid overdose death rates.
Palmer said this isn’t just a chance to stop opioid abuse, but also a chance to stop the criminal activity typically associated with those drugs.
“(People) know that you have medication in there and that you’re on medication,” he said. “It’s an easy target for them. So by this way, by getting rid of it, you’re not going to get rid of anything on hand to do that.”
Recent studies have found that the opioid epidemic costs West Virginia billions of dollars. This includes the costs for substance abuse treatment, health care, criminal justice and lost worker productivity.
The Monogalia County Sheriff’s Office will have deputies at locations around the county that, with the help of local business, will be within a fair driving distance for everyone.
“They can bring them to any of these three locations, put them in a bag, put them in whatever you want, drop them off in our boxes that we have there, we’ll have officers on scene, and walk out,” Palmer said.
Drop-off sites in Monongalia County include:
- The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, 116 Walnut Street, Morgantown, WV
- Pierpont Pharmacy, 7000 Mid-Atlantic Drive, Morgantown, WV
- Kroger, 500 Suncrest Towne Centre Drive, Morgantown, WV
- Kroger, 1851 Earl L. Core Road, Morgantown, WV
- Kroger, 350 Patteson Drive, Morgantown, WV
In Preston County:
- Belldina’s Pharmacy, 107 S. Main Street, Masontown, WV
- Bruceton Pharmacy, 198 Morgantown Street, Bruceton Mills, WV
- Terra Alta Town Hall, 701-A East State Avenue, Terra Alta, WV
In Marion County:
- Monongah Police Department, 430 Bridge Street, Monongah, WV
- Fairmont Police Department Public Safety Building, 500 Quincy Street, Fairmont, WV
The Morgantown Police Department will also be participating in the drug take back with four locations around the city. Alongside them will be members of the WVU Men’s Basketball team, who will be participating in a meet and greet with those who make any drop offs.
The drug take back will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.