CLEVELAND, Ohio — U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown made a stop in Cleveland Friday afternoon to encourage people to get rid of their unnecessary prescription pills in an effort to tackle Ohio’s opioid epidemic.
Brown, who has advocated for additional funding for treatment and addiction prevention, said the pill buyback program is one of the safest and immediate ways to get rid of dangerous prescription pills.
“It’s not going to solve the opioid epidemic, but it will contribute to making sure people –particularly kids — don’t accidentally get these drugs,” he said.
Friday’s event at the medical examiner’s office was part of the “Know the Risks” campaign, which is aimed at providing a centralized resource for services related to heroin, fentanyl and prescription pain pill addiction. cleveland.com, The Plain Dealer and other county agencies are apart of the charge. (Campaign officials released a video on addiction during the event. Watch it here or below).
Ohio has been in throes of an opioid epidemic as fatal overdose deaths climb drastically.
Brown said it’s going to take multiple agencies on the federal and state level to tackle the opioid epidemic.
Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at several locations across the state. To find the nearest location near you, look here.
