Valley Regional Medical Center will hold its second annual “Crush the Crisis” Opioid Take Back Day on Saturday in Brownsville.
The event will coincide with the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Day also scheduled on Saturday.
Both will give the public the opportunity to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications.
The event will be held from 10 am. to 2 p.m. at VRMC, 100 E. Alton Gloor Blvd.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70,630 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2019, with more than 70% attributed to opioids, VRMC said in a press release. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the U.S. is seeing an increase in opioid usage, and it is possible that a significant number of opioid addictions and overdose deaths come from individuals accessing unused opioids prescriptions of family and friends.
“Opioid addiction is a national health crisis, and it is imperative that we get unused pain medications out of homes where they can more easily end up in the wrong hands,” said Asim Zamir, MD., chief of staff of Valley Regional Medical Center. “We invite you to join us for this year’s ‘Crush the Crisis’ to properly dispose of your unused medications and help us in educating the community about the serious threat of opioid misuse.”
Law enforcement officers from the Brownsville Police Department will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). All medications are accepted, however needles, syringes, lancets, inhalers or liquids will not be accepted. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at the event, including masking and social distancing.
For more information, call (833) 582-1970.
