Push on to curb prescription drug abuse

Local organizations are teaming up to collect expired medications on Saturday in an effort to curb prescription drug abuse.

Unused and expired medications will be collected with no questions asked for disposal during the valley's first-ever "Operation Medicine Cabinet." The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Las Vegas Sports Center, 121 E. Sunset Road, at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard.

"Our goal is to ensure that unwanted medications don't end up in the wrong hands," said Las Vegas police Sgt. Paul McCollough with the department's Narcotics Division. "People vulnerable to misuse and abuse, such as children and teens, get into medicine cabinets at home or while visiting friends and family to acquire entire bottles or just a few pills at a time. These pills are often illegally sold or traded to others."

Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy said in 2000, his office reported 171 accidental drug- and medication-related deaths. The numbers have increased each year and in 2009 there were 397 such deaths, "with dozens of cases still pending final report," Murphy said.

For additional information on Operation Medicine Cabinet and information on securing and properly discarding prescription and over-the-counter drugs, visit www.operationmedicinecabinetlv.org.