Baylor Police Department Will Participate in National Drug Take-Back Day
Media Contact: Tonya B. Hudson, 254-710-4656
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WACO, Texas (April 19, 2018) – The Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) will collect old and expired prescription drugs as part of a countrywide take-back day Saturday, April 28, 2018. Although the official collection day is on Saturday, BUPD will begin accepting prescription drugs on Monday, April 23, 2018.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Take-Back Day is a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. The take-back day will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at BUPD in Speight Avenue Parking Garage, 1521 S. Fourth St.
“The Baylor Police Department wants to provide our community with a comprehensive array of safety services and thought our participation would make it very convenient for our students, faculty and staff to dispose of expired or unused prescription drugs,” said Baylor Police Chief Wigtil. “BUPD wanted to assist our community members in disposing of old prescription drugs to help create a safer home environment and prevent the diversion of these drugs.”
According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. To facilitate the removal of unused and expired prescription drugs year-round, BUPD has a permanent prescription drug disposal box in the police department lobby that is available to the Baylor and Waco communities.
“We are excited to help promote the work of Baylor Police Department and Voices Against Substance Abuse (VASA) in conjunction with National Drug Take Back Day. The Wellness Department and Beauchamp Addiction Recovery Center (BARC) are proud to promote both the personal and environmental wellness this event exemplifies,” said Lilly Ettinger, senior coordinator for Recovery Services at Baylor.
According to the DEA, last year’s take-back event resulted in the disposal of 900,386 pounds of prescription drugs with 72,361 pounds being destroyed in Texas alone.
“Last year was an amazing success and we're excited to see this event become a regular part of life for the Baylor community. This is a great opportunity for everyone—from students who are moving out of dorms or near-campus housing to faculty and staff doing some spring-cleaning to get rid of excess prescription drugs in their homes,” Ettinger said.
The drugs will be collected in a locked box in BUPD and delivered to the DEA to be safely destroyed.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.