National Drug Take Back events planned locally April 24

April 24 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day – a day people nationwide are encouraged to dispose of unused or expired medications, especially prescription opioids, before they can be misused, abused, or accidentally ingested. Law enforcement agencies, community partners, and members of the Virginia Attorney General's team will be stationed at dozens of locations throughout the state, including a number in Henrico, to accept medications for proper disposal.

Take-back locations in Henrico will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include the following spots:
• Henrico Division of Police Training Center, 7721 East Parham Road;
• Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 North Laburnum Avenue;
• University of Richmond Police Department, 490 Westhampton Way, Special Programs Building;
• Virginia State Police Division I headquarters, 9300 Brook Road;
• Wegmans, 12200 Wegmans Boulevard.

"Too often opioid addiction starts in the medicine cabinet when old or unused prescriptions fall into the hands of someone who could abuse them," said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring. "Disposing of any unused prescriptions at a drug take-back location is such an easy way for Virginians to rid their homes of potentially dangerous drugs. I am encouraging everyone with unused prescriptions at home to take a moment this weekend to clean out your medicine cabinets and bring those drugs to a disposal location. This is such a quick and easy way to make your homes and our communities safer."

In Virginia, opioid overdose deaths have risen steadily since 2010:
• heroin overdose deaths have risen more than 1,056% between 2010 and 2018, from 48 to 555;
• Fentanyl deaths have risen by more than 1,593% percent from 2007 to 2018, from 48 to 813;
• prescription opioid overdose deaths have risen 19% between 2007 and 2018, from 400 deaths to 477.