Pubdate: Tue, 05 Aug 2014
Source: Register Citizen (CT)
Copyright: 2014 Register Citizen
Contact:  http://www.registercitizen.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/598
Author: Esteban L. Hernandez

TORRINGTON OFFICIALS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AGENCY TO UNVEIL DRUG DROP BOX

TORRINGTON  The city's police department and a local substance abuse 
agency are holding a ribbon cutting Thursday morning for the 
launching of a prescription drug drop box program.

The pill drop off box was installed inside the Torrington Police 
Department's lobby in April but was not immediately ready for use. 
The box was installed with the help of the McCall Foundation, a 
local, private nonprofit behavioral healthcare agency that provides 
substance abuse treatment.

The release said the foundation received a grant from the state's 
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to help establish 
the pill drop off program.

Research has indicated that heroin use usually begins with 
prescription drug abuse, which is a much more expensive habit.

In a city that has already had eight fatal heroin overdoses this 
year, the box will serve as an aid for disposal of prescription drugs 
as well as drugs obtained illegally.

In a release sent Tuesday, Police Chief Michael Maniago said the link 
between prescription drug abuse and heroin makes it critical to find 
ways to reduce the availability of prescription drugs obtained wrongly.

"The Prescription Drug Box Program is one way in which this can be 
accomplished," Maniago said. "This program is a proven idea that will 
help to save lives and stop potential drug abuse."

The ribbon cutting is taking place in conjunction with the Torrington 
Coalition to Reduce Youth Substance Use and the Litchfield County 
Opioid Taskforce.

The box will be available for public use to anyone, including 
residents and non-residents, who are encouraged to drop off unused 
prescription medications in their original containers.

The release said the drop box will be accessible anonymously 24 hours 
a day, seven days per week.

Jessica Wright, director of prevention for McCall, said in the 
release that the box will help the drugs from falling into the wrong hands.

"Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in the past 10 years and 
there is also a direct link from these drugs to heroin," Wright said 
in the release. "It also keeps the medication from getting into the 
water system."

The 2012 National Drug Survey on Drug Use and Health said 6.8 million 
Americans abused prescription drugs, twice as much as those who 
abused cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin and inhalants combined. In 
2010, more Americans are died of drug overdoses from prescription 
drugs than car accident, the Center for Disease Control and 
Prevention reported. A total of 22,134 died of prescription drug 
overdoses, which included 16,651 from narcotic pain killers.

The Drug Enforcement Administration held its eighth Prescription Drug 
Take Back Day in February, providing at least 10 drop-off sites in 
Litchfield County.

The ribbon cutting takes place Thursday, at 10 a.m. at the lobby of 
the Torrington Police Department, located at 576 Main St.
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