"Operation Medicine Cabinet" is Back for a Third RoundThe Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit and the Pinellas County Diversion Task Force Coalition is holding its third round of "Operation Medicine Cabinet" from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. The event is an opportunity for citizens to discard unused or expired prescription medications, with no questions asked. This time, a total of four law enforcement agencies to include the Sheriff's Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Clearwater Police Department and the Largo Police Department are participating in the effort; and the drop-off sites have increased to ten locations across the county. The event is an effort to raise awareness about the problem of prescription drugs abuse. The problem has reached epidemic proportions. According to statistics prescription drugs are the number one abused drugs in the United States, now surpassing all other illicit drugs. The 10-drop-off sites will allow the public greater access and added convenience. Four of the sites will be located in the Sheriff's Office jurisdiction, three in the jurisdiction of the St. Petersburg Police Department, two in the jurisdiction of the Clearwater Police Department, and one in the jurisdiction of the Largo Police Department. The following is a list of the locations where citizens may come to drop off their unused or expired medications:
City of Largo (Largo Police Department):
City of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg Police Department):
City of South Pasadena (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office):
City of Dunedin (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office):
City of Seminole (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office):
County Area (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office):
City of Clearwater (Clearwater Police Department): Citizens may simply stop by during the designated times and drop off their medications for safe collection and disposal. Please be aware that no biohazards or needles will be accepted, and that the program is intended for private citizens of Pinellas County and not for commercial use. In addition, the program provides a safe way of destroying the pharmaceuticals through incineration. By burning the pharmaceuticals as opposed to flushing or sending the medication to the landfill, polluting the environment can be avoided. In May of 2009, the Sheriff's Office partnered with the St. Petersburg Police Department for its first Operation Medicine Cabinet. The partnership established four locations countywide and collected over 600 pounds of pills. Due to the many calls that were received from citizens requesting another collection event, a second "Operation Medicine Cabinet" was held in November of 2009. Along with the St. Petersburg Police Department, the event was expanded to seven locations countywide and collected over 400 pounds of medications. The Sheriff's Office goal remains to have two such collection events per year. For further information, please contact the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Public Information Office at (727) 582-6221.
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