— Submitted photo Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Timmons stands next to the medication drop box now located in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office at the Hamilton County Courthouse.

Sheriff Douglas Timmons announced Thursday the placement of a permanent medication dropbox located in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office, 2300 Superior Street, Webster City.

Timmons said the drop box is made possible through a small grant from the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy to address the increasing problem of prescription drug abuse. The drop box will be accessible to the public during normal business hours.

Steve Lukan, Director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy said “his office is pleased to partner with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in providing citizens a secure and environmentally responsible option to dispose of unused prescription drugs, thus preventing their potential diversion and abuse.

“Most prescription drugs that are abused come from friends or family, so cleaning out medicine cabinets can save lives,” Lukan said.

Prescription drug abuse is Iowa’s fastest-growing form of substance abuse, and addiction to powerful pain relievers is also fueling more heroin use. Prescription pain pills and heroin are both opioid drugs. The combination is contributing to an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths in Iowa and the U.S.

According to Sheriff Timmons, “many people become addicted to prescription drugs because they started using a family member’s leftover prescriptions. Once addicted some of these individuals may then eventually move to heroin to fulfill that addiction.”

Additional information on prescription drug abuse/opioid abuse and properly disposing of unused medication can be found at:

https://odcp.iowa.gov/rxotc

https://odcp.iowa.gov/rxtakebacks

https://odcp.iowa.gov/rxbrochure

Timmons said citizens wishing to use the medication drop box are asked to place all medications in sealed non-breakable containers and are requested to not include any “sharps” such as syringes or lancets, or any other item that could cause injury to the staff servicing the drop box.