Mark your Calendars for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, April 24th! West River Valley Thrives invites our community members to take part in this national campaign to curb the opioid epidemic and end prescription drug abuse.

Take-Back Day is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and was created to address the crucial public safety and public health issue of prescription drug misuse. The DEA found that in 2018 over 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs - the majority of which were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. However, this isn't just a national issue - it's a local one. In fact, a 2018 survey of 7-10th graders in Windham County found that 63% of respondents stated that "My family has prescription drugs in the house, and I could get to them if I wanted." Take-Back Day is an opportunity for all of us to do our part to prevent drug misuse and overdose deaths right here in Windham County.

So let's use this April to do some spring cleaning and clear out those medicine cabinets. To dispose of your medication safely, drop them off at one of these local permanent drop box locations:

Windham Co. Sheriff's Office, 11 Jail St., Newfane
Brattleboro Police Department, 62 Black Mountain Rd., Brattleboro
Wilmington Police Department, 2 E. Main St. Wilmington
Bellows Falls Police Department, 170 Rockingham St., Bellows Falls

Thrives will also be providing secure postage paid mail-in envelopes for West River Valley residents. These mail-in envelopes are a great contact-free way to dispose of your prescriptions.

If you have any questions about how to drop-off your prescriptions, or want a prescription mail-in bag mailed directly to your home, please feel free to email us at wrvtcoordinator@gmail.com