Sheriff’s Office To Supply Medication Drop Box

A medication drop box will be available, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 16,  at the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office on Main Street in Covington. 
The drop box will allow the public to dispose of unused prescription drugs year round.
Much like annual national drug take-back days, the public is being encouraged to turn in unused prescription drugs at the sheriff’s office. 
The Alleghany Highlands Community Services Board, Alleghany Highlands Heal-thy Youth Coalition, and Alleghany County Sherriff’s Office are partnering to install the medication drop box. 
An opening day event will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
The goal is to minimize accessibility and abuse of dangerous drugs, as well as the pollution that happens when people throw medicine in the trash or down the toilet.
Medication drop boxes are designed to provide a safe way for individuals to dispose of antibiotics, contraceptives, prescription pain killers and over-the-counter medicines.
Individuals often flush their medicine down the toilet as a disposal option, however, flushed medications have been found in lakes, rivers and streams. 
Drop boxes can also help prevent unused medicine from getting into the wrong hands. The opioid epidemic continues to have a huge impact in Southwest Virginia and the Alleghany Highlands. 
For more information,  call Chelsea Dunaway at 965-2100, ext. 133.