CVS Pharmacy, as part of their partnership with Drugfree.org, recently donated a medication disposal unit through a property grant to the Brownwood Police Department.
Brownwood Assistant Chief of Police James Fuller wrote the application for the property grant and was excited to put it into use for the citizens of Brownwood and Brown County.
“We are grateful and thank CVS Pharmacy for its generous donation to help our community prevent prescription drug abuse. The CVS Pharmacy Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program is part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to combat prescription drug abuse,” explained Fuller.
The container is located in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center, located at 1050 W. Commerce in Brownwood. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will help not only keep prescription drugs out of the hands of the youth of the community, but also helps to keep the water supply and landfill safe. The gift of the grant container is through the cooperative effort by CVS and is an example of the company’s commitment of keeping the community safe and helping prevent drug abuse.
The Brownwood Police have a semi-annual drug take back event which is held each April and September. Officers are stationed at two locations in Brownwood to receive unwanted prescription and non-prescription drugs, with “no questions asked,” in an effort to keep these drugs out of the water supply and the hands of those who could abuse them, especially the youth of the community. These drug take back events have been held in the Walmart and Brookshire’s parking lots. The next drug take back event will be held on Saturday, September 27th at Walmart and Brookshire’s parking lots.
Fuller stated that the program has two goals:
To keep drugs out of the hands of younger people in an effort to help with prescription drug abuse. Each year in the United States, more than 71,000 children aged 18 and younger are seen in emergency rooms for unintentional overdoses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, according to Fuller.
To keep the drugs out of the water supply. “We also share the concern because our water supply is getting to be such a precious commodity,” said Fuller.
After the September event, Fuller stated that future events will be held at the CVS parking lots on Austin Avenue and Commerce locations. “CVS desires to help with National Drug Take Back events,” explained Fuller. “Having the event at the CVS parking lots will make the drop off locations easier to remember, and still keeps a location at both sides of the city.”
For more information on this program, visit www.cvs.com/safercommunities.
Pictured above with the disposal unit are City of Brownwood Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator Richard Couch, Angie Hill BPD Evidence Clerk, and BPD Assistant Chief James Fuller.
