Fighting Opioids At MSU

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Opioids are a nationwide problem and now the Mississippi State University Police Department has a new tool to help combat the opioid crisis.

Thanks to a grant the campus police department has a Medication Drop Box safe.

The purpose, to dispose of unused or expired prescription painkillers and other medicines.

The department of mental health teamed up with the MBN to bring the med-return box to campus.

Campus Police Chief Vance Rice says this is the first drug drop off box in the county and that it’s a start at keeping pills out of the wrong hands.

“Opioids are a huge, huge problem with many many persons dying everyday from opioids,” says Rice.

“What we want to do is try and keep it out of the hands of anyone on the street and provide the opportunity to have it destroyed properly,” says Mochael Jordan of the State Opioid Treatment Authority.

According to the MBN, Mississippi ranks fifth in the nation for the number of painkiller prescriptions.

The drop off box will be available 24/7.