Almost 375 Pounds of Drugs Collected During Drug Take Back Day

Almost 375 pounds of opioids, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications were collected Friday and Saturday during the fall Drug Take Back Day.

The medications were collected at Murfreesboro Medical Center, TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, said Sgt. J.D. Davis of the Sheriff’s Strategies and Tactics for Opioid Prevention Unit.

“The STOP Unit, along with the Prevention Coalition for Success and StoneCrest Hospital, participates every April and October to bring awareness to the community and a safe place to dispose of narcotics and unused medicine,” Davis said. “This was the most successful drug take back with the STOP Unit.”

STOP deputies talked with residents and explained the importance of turning in the unused and expired drugs.

Drug Take Back days give community residents a safe place to turn in narcotics and keeps the drugs out of the hands of children and the water system, which is extremely important, the sergeant said.

STOP deputies collected the drugs with other volunteers at all three locations. The drugs are taken to the Sheriff’s Office where the medications are destroyed.

People may drop unused, expired or unwanted medications anytime into the drop bin 24 hours a day, seven days a week into a green bin at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office lobby near the flagpole. Needles are not accepted.

Please put the medications in a plastic bag and simply drop inside the bin for disposal.

Acceptable items include:

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications.
• Pet medications.
• Inhalers.
• Pills in any packaging such as plastic containers, baggies and foil.