Community takes advantage of take-back event
Monongahela Valley Hospital (MVH) partnered with the Carroll Township Police Department on Oct. 27, during National Drug Take Back Day.
The hospital served as a collection site, enabling the police department to collect 16 boxes containing more than 300 pounds of prescription and over-the counter medications. The drugs ranged from controlled substances to steroid creams. Combined with the items collected during the spring Take Back Day, MVH helped collect more than 628 pounds of drugs this year.
“We’ve been joining forces with the hospital for many years now to make it as safe and convenient as possible for local residents to dispose of unused drugs,” said Paul Brand, chief of the Carroll Township Police Department. “We have a great system in place. Motorists simply pull around the circular driveway outside of the Anthony M. Lombardi Education Conference Center and remain in their cars. One of our officers then takes the drugs from the car windows and deposits them in the boxes.”
“We are privileged to assist the local police department in the semi-annual drug collections,” said MVH President and CEO Louis J. Panza Jr. “This is yet another step we can take to help combat the drug epidemic.”
Once the drugs were collected, law enforcement officers sealed the boxes. Representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) then weighed them and safely disposed of the items.
The next Drug Take Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27 at Monongahela Valley Hospital.