478 lbs. of prescription drugs taken off Duval, Clay and St. Johns County streets

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —

HCA Hospitals, Memorial Hospital and Orange Park Medical Center partnered with law enforcement agencies to host a “Crush the Opioid Crisis, Drug Take Back Day.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the event collected 478 lbs. of unused or expired medications.

The event was designed to educate the community on the risk of opioid misuse, and provide a safe and anonymous way to dispose of leftover medications.

“More than half of people who misuse opioid medications say they obtained them from someone they know. In the past year, two-thirds of teens who misused pain relievers reported that they got them from family, friends and the home medicine cabinet. And every minute of every day, a poison control center answers a call about a young child who has accidentally ingested medication,” said Dr. Fred Jenkins, emergency room physician and medical director at Memorial Hospital.

Clay, Duval, and St. Johns County law enforcement agencies collected unused and expired prescription medications safely and anonymously at four separate drive-up locations.

“The safest and most responsible option to dispose of medication is to take unwanted medications to a drug take-back site or event,” said Dr. Goodfriend, emergency room physician and medical director at Orange Park Medical Center.

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“Crush the Opioid Crisis, Drug Take Back Day” “Crush the Opioid Crisis, Drug Take Back Day” (Memorial Hospital)

Cox Media Group