HINDMAN – Knott County citizens disposed of 6,797 pills during a “Clean Your Medicine Cabinet Out Day” held Tuesday, March 29.
All of the unused or out-of-date medicines brought in were fed to Operation UNITE’s “Pill Dragon” – a mobile incinerator provided by UNITE, PRIDE and the Kentucky Army National Guard – at the Knott County Sportsplex.
Since its debut in August 2010 the dragon has consumed 374,068 pills.
This event capped a months-long effort called “Accidental Dealer” to raise awareness of securing your medications and the area’s problems with prescription drug abuse.
“The Pill Dragon offers citizens an easy way to dispose of old or unwanted medications,” noted Karen Kelly, director of UNITE. “This is important for two reasons: It reduces your risk of being a victim of a burglary or theft and it avoids the potential health and environmental effects of having these substances in our water system and soil.”