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| 3/9/2010 12:09:00 PM | Email • Print • Submit a story
Comment on this article | Oregon launches statewide prescription drug turn-in program
Astoria, Warrenton, Seaside to accept medicines Saturday
The Daily Astorian
With prescription drug abuse on the rise in Oregon, three North Coast cities are taking part in a drug turn-in program Saturday to collect unwanted and expired drugs, drugs that are no longer needed and unknown tablets and capsules, in their original containers, if possible. Local cities taking part in the turn-in include Astoria, Seaside and Warrenton.
• In Astoria, the turn-in will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, 1792 Marine Drive. For information, contact Police Chief Pete Curzon at (503) 338-6411.
• Seaside's turn-in will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seaside Fire Department, 150 S. Lincoln St. For information, contact Police Chief Robert Gross at (503) 738-6311.
• The Warrenton turn-in will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lum's Auto Center, 1605 S.E. Ensign Lane. For information, contact Police Chief Mathew Workman at (503) 861-2235.
This is the first statewide effort of its kind, hoping to attract thousands of people and increase awareness about the disposal of potentially dangerous and addictive drugs. Oregon Partnership's alcohol and drug crisis line, HelpLine, (800) 923-HELP, now receives more calls about prescription drug abuse than any other drug, with the exception of alcohol.
Saturday's turn-in is being coordinated by The Oregon Medical Association Alliance, Community Action to Reduce Substance Abuse (CARSA) and Oregon Partnership.
"The whole idea is to prevent drug abuse by keeping these drugs out of the wrong hands and to discard them safely," said Leanna Lindquist, president, OMAA. "We're hoping that this event will shed light on the public safety and environmental aspects of discarding prescription drugs that are no longer needed."
The U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality water quality samplings have found trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in Oregon's surface water, and focused studies have found pharmaceuticals in groundwater. Flushing unwanted drugs down the toilet is one way drugs reach wastewater treatment plants.
Today, the average American takes more than 12 different prescription drugs each year, and more than 3.8 billion prescriptions are purchased annually, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. One recent survey estimated the amount of wasted drugs is as high as 45 percent.
Oregon ranks among the top states for non-medical use of pain relievers among 12 to 17 year olds. Some teens have told authorities that prescription drugs are widely available from an array of sources, including their homes, friends and relatives.
Parents are being urged to lock up medicines. Young people often perceive prescription drugs to be safer than illicit drugs to get high, leading them to casually share these drugs with friends, medical experts say. These include painkillers (OxyContin), depressants (Xanax) and stimulants (Adderall and Ritalin).
More teens abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine combined. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription drug abuse is higher among 18 to 25-year-olds than in any other age group.
Although the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among youth has declined from 2002 through 2008, over this time many teens have turned to misusing prescription drugs, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Officials say prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any illicit drug, except marijuana. The medicines are intended to relieve pain, and treat conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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