Scott hosts event for safe disposal of Rx drugs Published May 8, 2013 By Airman Megan Friedl 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Hundreds of pounds of medications were turned in by Scott residents at the National Drug Take-Back April 26. Controlled, non-controlled, outdated, unused and over-the-counter medications were accepted by the 375th Medical Group for proper disposal. The aim is keeping potentially harmful, yet legal, drugs from being abused or contaminating the environment. This take-back showed an increase of nearly 400 pounds from previous collections. Capts. Amanda Ferguson and Brett Perlberg, 375th MDG staff pharmacists, collaborated with the DEA to organize the spring take-back program. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, prescription drug misuse continues to be a significant problem in the U.S., with adolescents being the common offenders. Surveys from 2010 revealed that nearly one in 12 high school seniors have used hydrocodone and one in 20 reported abusing oxycodone--both can result in death from overdose. Not only does turning in unused drugs help prevent drug abuse, it helps curb poison and water-supply contamination. "A lot of times people will just pour medications down the sink or toilet, or they'll put it in the trash," Ferguson said. The pharmacist pointed out that statistics show medications thrown in the trash can harm an animal or a person long after its left their hands. "Depending on the medication, it could be fatal," she said. "If people were not able to drop it off at this event, we strongly encourage people to drop it off at a county sheriff's office or other law enforcement agency that allows drop off continuously, or plan to drop it off at the next take-back event in the fall." For more information, call the pharmacy at 256-7335.