Drug Take-Back Day a Success in Kenbridge Over 50 pounds of drugs turned in during first event for KPD

By Brian Nowlin, Staff Writer
As part of the statewide Drug Take-Back Day this past Saturday, September 26, the Kenbridge Police Department participated in the event for the first time.
Chief Raymond Hite, Jr. said that the Take-Back Day was a tremendous success locally as his department collected over 50 pounds of prescription drugs. Chief Hite noted that he was pleased with the turnout and the overall help from the community in participating and turning in these types of drugs. He said that the Kenbridge Police Department was open all day for anyone to bring in the prescription drugs and that they were transported to the Virginia State Police where they will be destroyed.
This event is an effort to prevent prescription drug abuse and to keep trace drugs away from communities all across the commonwealth. During the event, citizens are asked to drop off their unused, unwanted, or expired medications at their local participating law enforcement agencies for safe disposal.
This also keeps trace drugs out of our lakes and streams as wastewater treatment plants cannot remove many compounds found in medications. Therefore, when medication is flushed or put in a landfill, drugs are discharged into our surface and ground water and consumed by fish and wildlife.
Chief Hite noted that there has been a growing concern about people abusing prescription medications. That is backed up by the fact that approximately 60 percent of people who abuse prescription painkillers indicate that they obtained the prescription drugs from friends or relatives for free, often taking the drugs without permission.
Children or pets may also ingest undisposed or improperly disposed medications. This can lead to overdose, injury, and even death.