Gilmer Police Department received a secure prescription drug disposal box from the Piney Woods Substance Abuse Coalition through a new partnership with the two organizations.
“We are so happy to have this new resource to provide to the community,” said Gilmer Police Chief Mark Case. “When Gilmer residents are able to dispose of their leftover prescription drugs, that goes a long way to preventing those drugs from falling into the wrong hands.”
The coalition that provided the drop box is funded by Texas Health and Human Services. The coalition is a program of a nonprofit, Next Step Community Solutions, in Tyler.
“Gilmer PD is a great partner for the coalition,” said coalition coordinator Joseph Byrum. “We are thrilled to have the department join us for the mutual goal of reducing prescription drug abuse in East Texas.”
The coalition has provided several drop boxes to law enforcement in the East Texas region in the last few years, and the work has been reflected in results on survey data. According to the Texas School Survey, an independent research project conducted by Texas A&M every two years, the number of 7-12th grade students who said they took a drug not prescribed to them in the last 30 days dropped from 12 percent in 2016 to 6% in 2020.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than half of people who said they abused a prescription drug said they received them for free from friends and family.
“It’s so important for the community to monitor their prescriptions and dispose of them when they are no longer needed,” said Byrum.
Gilmer PD will also participate in the upcoming DEA Takeback event on April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Officers will be at the Walmart on US Hwy 271 to take residents prescription drugs, no questions asked. If you can’t make the event however, the Gilmer Police Department drop box is available from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m on weekdays.
To see other drop box locations in East Texas, check out easttexasrx.com.