In an effort to keep drugs off the streets and local water sources, a drug take-back will take place this weekend at locations across the region.
"Properly disposing of medication reduces the chance of teenage experimentation and overdose. We encourage residents to take advantage of the drug take back day by simply driving to one of the locations and dropping off medication with no questions asked," said Camilla Bibbs, executive director of the Hamilton County Coalition.
Local residents can drop off old medications - prescription and over-the-counter - from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the following locations.
Hamilton County:
Walgreens in Hixson, 5478 Highway 153
Walgreens in East Brainerd, 2289 Gunbarrel Road
Mt. Canaan Baptist Church, 4801 Highway 58
Sam's Club, 6101 Lee Highway
Elk's Lodge #91, 1069 Graysville Road
Food City in Red Bank, 3901 Dayton Blvd.
Orchard Knob Baptist Church, 1734 E. Third St.
Signal Mountain Police Department, 1111 Ridgeway Ave.
Walgreens in Brainerd, 3605 Brainerd Road
Walgreens in Ooltewah, 9307 County Highway
Walgreens in Soddy-Daisy, 121 Harrison Lane
Walgreens in St. Elmo, 3550 Broad Street
Walgreens in East Ridge, 5301 Ringgold Road
Marion County:
Jasper City Hall, 4460 Main St.
(9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central)
Sequatchie County:
Walgreens in Dunlap, 14857 Rankin Ave.
Bradley County:
Walgreens in Cleveland, 35 25th St. NW
Flushing medications means that traces of these drugs eventually end up back in the environment, according to a news release from Tennessee American Water.
"Experience shows that the most effective and cost-efficient way to ensure high-quality water at the tap is to keep our source waters clean," said Kitty Vaughn, Tennessee American Water Supervisor of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance. "We support this partnership because it helps spread an important message to the public: Don't flush medications down the toilet, where they would eventually end up in our waterways."
