LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Every year in conjunction with Earth Day the Community Addiction Response and Education Coalition (CARE) joins with Pearman’s Pharmacy and Prospect Bank to help local residents rid their homes of unused and unwanted medications.
“We want to get as many unused medications as possible out of the homes before they fall into the wrong hands,” said CARE founding member Angie Hamilton. “Especially the opioids, but we take all unused medications.”
CARE Coalition started in 2015 when Hamilton and local resident Tracy Downs decided to do something about the drug problem.
“In 2015, Tracy said we have to do something about the problem,” said Hamilton. “I told him that it was now or never, and we jumped.”
CARE is going into its sixth year of hosting drug takeback day, and all have proven successful.
“To date we have taken back 300 pounds of pills,” said Hamilton.
Edgar County Sherriff Jeff Wood was working the incinerator this morning during the Drug Take Back. The CARE Coalition purchased the incinerator for the department.
“We haven’t burnt in two years,” said Wood. “When we do we put the pills inside a bag before they are dropped in otherwise, they would just stick to the side of the barrel, or the force of the burner would blow them out.”
The incinerator is a burner that attaches to the top of a steel barrel made specifically for law enforcement.
“When they (the pills) are incinerated they are inert,” said Benefiel. “I believe there is less than 3% left.”
Drug Take Back day is until 3 p.m. today, April 21, behind Prospect Bank. Members of the Care Coalition, the Bionic Group from Paris High School and Steve Benefiel from Pearman’s Pharmacy are there to assist