National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday could save lives

EVERETT -- Any recovering addict will tell you that being hooked on heroin is a terrible way to live and it's a horrible way to die.

"In the state of Washington, heroin is the number one drug threat,” DEA spokeswoman Jodie Underwood said.

Randy Pierce watched his 18-year old son, Corey, struggle with and ultimately lose his battle with heroin.

"Physically it changes their appearance. They lie. They lose weight. They steal. They'll do anything to get money to buy that drug,” Pierce said.



Corey overdosed five years ago.

His was an addiction, like so many others, that started with prescription drug abuse.

"A lot of people in the recovery centers, when they do their analysis of them, they say, I first started by copping pills out of grandma and grandpa's or mom and dad's or my neighbor's medicine cabinet,” Snohomish County Regional Drug and Gang Task Force Director Pat Slack said.

Saving lives is what the DEA's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is all about.

Last year, Snohomish County took back more than 7,000 pounds of prescription drugs.

Some prescription opiates, like OxyContin and Vicodin, are often a gateway drug to heroin, experts say.

"If you have drugs in your home and you have a loaded gun in your home, to me they both equate out to the same thing -- they both will kill people,” Slack said.

Proper storage in the home is the first line of defense, but when drugs are outdated or no longer needed,  they must be disposed of responsibly.

Snohomish County will have 29 drop boxes available Saturday. It's free and, supporters say, the right thing to do.

"This is a public issue. It's not a law enforcement issue. The public needs to take charge and be involved in this and they need to clean their own house and that will help us, help them,” Slack said.

To find a list of drop-off locations, click here.