On Sept. 21, 2019, Corpus Christi Medical Center and the City of Corpus Christ are hosting Crush the Crisis, an opioid take back event, to educate our communities about the dangers of opioids and offer a safe way to dispose of prescribed medications from their homes. HCA hospitals across the county are partnering with city leaders and local law enforcement agencies are joining together for Crush the Crisis events.

Corpus Christi Medical Center - Doctors Regional will serve as a collection point for individuals to safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired opioid painkillers Saturday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. as part of the hospital's commitment to curb the misuse and addiction to prescription pain relievers.

"Crush The Crisis" will provide individuals with the opportunity to turn in tablets, capsules and patches of Codeine, hydrocodone, Demerol, Oxycodone, Darvon and other opioids. A drive-thru collection will be set up at the hospital's valet entrance at 3315 S. Alameda Street.

"This is a 'no-questions-asked' collection designed to safely capture and dispose of addictive prescription pain medications before they fall into the wrong hands," says Dr. Eric Deppert, chief medical officer of Corpus Christi Medical Center. "If you are no longer on a medication, whether or not it has expired, it needs to be removed."

"Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of accidental death," said City of Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb. "Providing overdose prevention is a harm reduction intervention that saves lives."

According to a 2015 survey, the Drug Enforcement Agency stated more than 6.4 million Americans abused prescription drugs. Many of those cases, the agency study showed, involved the abuser getting pills from a family member's or a friend's medicine cabinet.

Prescription opioid use also is a significant risk factor or gateway to heroin addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 86 percent of young, urban injection drug users had used opioid pain relievers non-medically prior to using heroin. Their three main sources for obtaining opioids were family, friends or personal prescriptions.

The Crush the Crisis collection at Doctors Regional will be staffed by uniformed security. Needles, syringes, lancets and liquids will not be accepted. For a complete list of HCA Healthcare-affiliated hospitals participating in the Sept. 21 Crush the Crisis drug take-back day, go to Crush the Crisis or call (833) 582-1970.