Press release from Asheville Regional Airport:
In an effort to provide a safe, secure way for residents of western North Carolina to dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription medications, Asheville Regional Airport Department of Public Safety and the Partnership for Substance Free Students in Buncombe County will host a drop-off event on Saturday, September 26 from 10a.m. to 2p.m.
The region is invited to bring medications for safe disposal to the Department of Public Safety at the airport, located at 136 Wright Brothers Way, Fletcher, N.C. 28732 (parking is located in front of the building). The service is free, drop off will be quick and easy, and all drop-offs will remain anonymous. There will be no paperwork required and no questions asked. Officers will be on hand to accept the medications, which will then be gathered for safe disposal.
“Prescription medications in the wrong hands – especially in the hands of our area’s young people or improperly disposed of in the environment – can be dangerous,” said Kevan Smith, Public Safety Chief at Asheville Regional Airport. “Part of our job as public safety officers is to partner with our regional agencies to make our area as safe as possible, and we are pleased to be able to participate in this important initiative.”
Operation Medicine Drop is a state-wide program held in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s 10th Annual “Take Back” initiative. It is a coordinated effort by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, Safe Kids North Carolina, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the State Bureau of Investigation, Riverkeepers of North Carolina and local groups to prevent accidental poisonings, substance abuse and to protect our waters. The drop-off event at the airport is one of several being offered in the region on September 26. For a complete list of events, visit www.ncsafekids.org.
For more information about the drop-off event at the airport, contact the Asheville Regional Airport Department of Public Safety at (828) 684-4577, or email pr@flyavl.com.
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