Sheriff reports drug take-back success

BY STACI WILSON

Nearly 30 pounds of unused or out-of-date prescription drugs were collected in Susquehanna County on Saturday. Sheriff Lance Benedict called the first-time effort “a huge success.”

The Take-Back Prescription Drugs program was coordinated on the national level by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Benedict said, “Just over 25 pounds were collected in Montrose and an additional four pounds were collected at the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Gibson.

“For a first time program – with just under 30 pounds collected – it was incredible,” Benedict said. “I was very happy with it and would be very happy to participate in it again in the future.”

The DEA picked up the drugs Saturday afternoon, Benedict said, and arranged for the proper disposal of the medications.

Benedict said, “Everybody is concerned with what they should and shouldn’t be doing with their unused or out-of-date drugs. This program gave those people the opportunity to dispose of the drugs properly.”