They're mostly found at police departments and pharmacies but now you can add high school football games to that list.
This season the Ingham County Sheriff's Office and Lansing Police have begun placing opioid drop-off bins at local high school football games.
Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth announced the start of the Mobile Pill Receptacle on Tuesday. He says many teenagers who get hooked on opiates, and eventually heroin, get their start with leftover prescription drugs from home.
A University of Michigan study found one-third of teen opioid abusers start that way and 90% of adult abusers started using as teenagers. Sheriff Wriggelsworth says deputies and officers will man the boxes for 1 to 2 hours before kickoff.
“If people think these pills aren't in our schools, they are,” said Wriggelsworth. “They're dead wrong to a certain extent.”
The sheriff hopes something as little as this will go a very long way.
“There’s going to be 3,000 to 3,500 people here tonight we're just asking them to take 30 seconds and go through your medicine cabinet,” said Wriggelsworth. “Bring us your stuff and we'll dispose of it properly.”
Crowds took notice of the cruiser’s’ flashing lights.
“I think it'll make a huge impact in a place like our community,” said Christine Lopez. “I’ve been to a few funerals of students who lost their lives because of heroin overdose and it scares me a lot.”
“Kids get their hands on things and a lot of parents aren't home so it's easy I think for kids to get their hands on some of these drugs,” said Cindy Penski, who has used prescription drug drop off.
The drugs part of an epidemic that are taking our nation by storm.
“It's out there, I think it’s just kind of being blind to the truth which is kids are getting their hands on drugs and it is something that we all need to worry about,” said Penski.
The bins will be at the following games:
Covert at Webberville, August 31
Lansing Sexton at Lansing Everett, September 8
Stockbridge at Leslie, September 15
East Lansing at Lansing Eastern, September 22
Lansing Eastern at Lansing Sexton, October 20
The pills will be burned in an incinerator to make sure they don't get into the water supply through landfills or toilets. If the program is successful it could be expanded.
The Sheriff says the schools listed above were chosen based on their willingness to participate and that no schools were targeted.
