Drug take-back day keeps prescriptions off streets

Dedra Rosendale’s mom died in February, but left a lot of unused medicine behind.
She wasn’t sure what to do with it all.

“I called the doctor, and they said, no take them to the pharmacy and the pharmacy said no take them to the fire station and the fire station said we don’t do that,” said Rosendale.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office want to keep those drugs away from the streets.

“We try to make it convenient for them to get rid of the old pills, or pills that are no longer good,” said Alfredo Gonzales, a student resource officer with the Sheriff’s Office.

Safety was on the minds of Rosendale and hundreds of others, who brought old prescriptions to one of hundreds of drug take-back events nationwide.

“You don’t want that in your house attracting people who might want to take them over or steal them from you or something,” said Rosendale.

One of the main reason’s the Sheriff’s Office holds this event is to keep prescription drugs out of the wrong hands.

“Drug addicts, you know, they’re always trying to find a way to satisfy their needs and so they’re going to do whatever it takes,” said Gonzales.

As a school resource officer, Gonzales said it’s important to keep the drugs away from kids.

“Also one of the problems we have with kids is over the counter abuse medication,” said Gonzales.

But for Rosendale it was a weight off her mind.

“It was good to get rid of them, another phase in getting over the death,” said Rosendale.

She was doing her part to fight the war on drugs.