Prescription drug abuse is a mounting problem in the Grand Traverse area.
That’s according to prevention specialist Kristen Wilson and fellow Rotarian and county prosecutor
Bob Cooney.
They talked at Tuesday’s meeting about the spin-off effects of the problem.
“From my office, we see prescription drug abuse leading to assaults, breaking and entering and several other crimes,” Bob said.
From Kristen’s role, she sees the devastating affect it can have on families and individuals.
“Four out of five teens who have abused prescription drugs say they got them from a friend or relative,” she said. “Not only that, but we’re also seeing an increase in home invasions because one of the things thiefs are looking for is prescription drugs.”
Kristen gave some tips on the best place to store prescription drugs, as well as the best way to dispose of them.
“Keep these three tips in mind,” she said:
1) Monitor your prescriptions. Know what your doctor has prescribed, what it’s for, how many re-fills you get and when the drug expires.
2) Lock them up. Secure your medications in a safe place and get them out of medicine cabinets and kitchen cupboards.
3) Dispose of your unused, expired or unwanted medications properly. She said the drop-off sites in Traverse City include the Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police Post on 14th St.
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The job is simple – once a month or so you take your turn telling fellow Rotarians what happened at the weekly meeting.
Rotary Club of Traverse City
