In the News

BENTON, Ark. (May 2, 2016) -- A record amount of prescription medications were collected at the Benton Police Department booths during Operation Medicine Cabinet XII on Saturday, April 30.

The event was part of the 12th Statewide Drug Take Back day, which is now a nationwide on-going DEA prescription medicine take back initiative.

Of the 1,755 pounds of prescription medications collected in Saline County during the event, 1,245 was collected at the two Benton locations - Ferguson’s Furniture and Hurricane Lake Estates.

Other participating Saline County law enforcement agencies in the State-wide event included: Arkansas Department of Community Correction’s Parole and Probation officers, Bryant Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office and the Haskell Police Department. U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) also attended and assisted the BNPD with Operation Medicine Cabinet at the Ferguson’s Furniture location.

There were more than 130 law enforcement agencies across the state that participated in this event.  Since the first event in Saline County in which 142 pounds was collected, agencies have collected more than five tons of prescriptions medications (since the initiative went statewide) and the results from these events are:

Medicine Cabinet I: 540 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet II: 734 lbs. 

Medicine Cabinet III: 537 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet IV: 830 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet V: 1,175 lbs. 

Medicine Cabinet VI: 1,190 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet VII: 1088 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet VIII:  963 lbs. 

Medicine Cabinet IX: 885 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet X: 1,500 lbs.

Medicine Cabinet XI: 1,333 lbs.     

Medicine Cabinet XII: 1,755.8 lbs. (Benton – 1,245.5 lbs., Bryant – 315.5 lbs., Haskell - 102 lbs. and Saline County Sheriff’s Office – 92.8 pounds)

In total, 12,102 pounds were collected.

Operation Medicine Cabinet aims at halting prescription drug abuse and misuse, and raising awareness about the dangers of legal and illegal drug use. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 78 Americans die as a result of overdose in the U.S. every day, making the opioid epidemic more fatal than automotive accidents.

More people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any year on record with the majority of the overdose deaths in this country result from prescription painkillers called opioids - Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Methadone, etc.

“People don’t understand how dangerous and addicting opioids can be,” BNPD Chief Kirk Lane said. “A lot of people become addicted very innocently, they’re going through some pain trauma and they get involved in this and can’t find a way back.”

About two-thirds of all prescription drugs (which also include stimulants such as Adderall and depressants like Ativan) illegally obtained are taken from people’s homes and not pharmacies or off the street.

For additional information about prescription drug abuse and helpful links please visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s website at: www.samhsa.gov. For information on the statewide drug take back and other drop off sites please go to:www.artakeback.org.

To report suspicious activity, a crime or to receive information about this monthly initiative, call the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us anonymous.