Hazelwood Police 'Take Back' 300 Pounds of Pills

Hazelwood Residents helped the (HPD) to get a lot of prescription drugs off the street that could have potentially been misused this past week during the event.

"We collected approximately 300 pounds of prescription medication from
both our collection sites," HPD's Sgt. Andy Eagan said. "We did not have a measurable goal however, we did collect more than what was expected.

"Probably double to last year's collection."

And double was exactly what was collected. Hazelwood Patch covered and ending results showed during the 2011 event, HPD collected 130 pounds. So this year's event more than doubled the amount of drugs collected.

Eagan said that can be attributed to people feeling a level of trust with dumping the pills.

"The community should not be apprehensive at all to turn in unused medications," Eagan said. "No questions are asked and identification is not requested.

"The community simply drives up to the curb, drops off the medication into the drop box and leaves."

The event occurred April 28 and was a partnership with St. Louis' Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Hazelwood Police Department took part in this national effort by collecting unused prescription drugs at two locations.  One drop off site was located inside the Hazelwood Police Substation in Neighborhood 3 of the and the other at .  

At both drop off sites in Hazelwood many of the residents who came in were primarily senior citizens that wanted to get rid of old drugs and keep them from grandchildren who may have come across them while visiting their homes. Other individuals dropped off old medications simply to make a difference and help with the prevention of drug abuse in younger people.  

The major problem with many of these prescription drugs is that they contain another drug called opioids, a morphine like drug that is derived from opium, according to ABC News/ Health. Taken for pain, this drug can be very helpful, but if abused, can become addictive and even deadly.  

The program is federally funded U S Food and Drug Adminstration grant, which funds the event annually.

This year, the St. Louis Division, which consists of Iowa, the Southern Judicial District of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota collected 46,686 pounds of prescrpition pills during the April 28 take back events.

Metropolitan St. Louis collected 12,731 pounds of pills, and nationwide 552,161 pounds of pills were taken back.