Highland County Sheriff's Office receives drug drop box

The Highland County Sheriff’s Office is one of 66 law enforcement agencies in southern Ohio that was awarded a secure prescription drug drop box by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office on an effort to reduce drug abuse in communities.

Sheriff Ron Ward is pleased to partner with Highland District Hospital to coordinate efforts in getting the word out to the public for the new drop box program.

The drug collection box is made possible by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s Office, Ohio Department of Health, Drug Free Action Alliance and National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators to provide the free collection bins as part of their newly established Ohio Prescription Drug Drop Box Program.

Items that can be placed in the secured drug drop box include narcotics, non narcotics and over the counter medications. Items that cannot be places in the drop box include needles or sharps, liquid forms of medication, or bio-hazard material.

With the drug collection box located in the lobby of the Highland County Sheriff’s Office at 130 Homestead Ave. it allows citizens to discard unused or unwanted prescription medication at their convenience 24 hours a day, seven day a week. Deputies will check the box daily and collect the contents and dispose of the items in accordance with federal and state law.

“The drop-off program is a free, no questions asked initiative that helps prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and/or unwanted prescription drugs.” said Sheriff Ward. “Prescriptions and medications that linger in home medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.”

For more information or questions about items that can be accepted, contact the Sheriff’s Office at (937) 393-1421.