NC cities participate in Operation Medicine Drop

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Dozens of North Carolina cities are participating in the fourth annual Operation Medicine Drop this weekend.

The event is part of National Poison Prevention Week that ends Saturday. Last year, more than 15 million doses of old prescription and over-the-counter drugs were collected at events held in March and October.

The aim of Operation Medicine Drop is to cut down on prescription drug abuse by encouraging people to properly dispose of old drugs they don't need. The N.C. Division of Public Health says about 1,000 people died last year in North Carolina from prescription drug overdoses.

State Attorney General Roy Cooper says the collected drugs will be turned over to the State Bureau of Investigation to be destroyed.

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Online:

To find participating locations: http://www.ncdoi.com/osfm/safekids/sk_OperationMedicineDrop.asp