Press Releases

Whitley Dragon

SOMERSET, KY, Apr 25 - Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) encourages southern and eastern Kentuckians to participate in the "National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day" on Saturday, April 28, 2012, hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). On Saturday, several law enforcement agencies across the state will serve as collection locations between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for individuals to dispose of old or unwanted medications.  

"Studies show that young people are getting their first high from prescription drugs in medicine cabinets at home or at a friend's home, so it is vital that we keep our medicine cabinets cleaned out and our prescriptions locked up,” stated Rogers. “In Kentucky, we're losing an average of 80 people a month to drug overdoses, that's more than we lose in car crashes. Our medicine cabinets are more dangerous than our cars. We can be proactive by making sure our own prescriptions don't fall into the wrong hands.” 

Last October during a similar event, Americans turned in 188.5 tons of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners.  In its three previous Take-Back events, DEA and its partners have collected nearly a million pounds of pills that could otherwise be diverted for abuse or misuse.

DEA Approved Take-Back Locations in Southern and Eastern Kentucky include:

* Kentucky State Police Posts in Harlan, Hazard, London, Morehead, and Pikeville 

* Kentucky Attorney General's Office in Prestonsburg

* Lee County Sheriff's Department

* Morehead Police Department at the Carl Perkins Community Center

* Monticello Police Department 

* Mt. Vernon Police Department

* Pineville Police Department

Operation UNITE continuously offers the "Pill Dragon" to communities in Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District to conduct "Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day" events. So far, the "Pill Dragon" has destroyed more than 760,000 pills in our region, keeping them out of the hands of potential abusers. For more information call 1-866-678-6483 or visit operationunite.org.

Rogers has served Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District since 1981. With a focus on economic development, job creation, fighting illegal drugs and preserving Appalachia’s natural treasures, he has a reputation for listening to his constituents and fighting for the region he represents. For more information visit www.halrogers.house.gov or join Rogers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/CongressmanHalRogers or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/RepHalRogers.