New! Peer Warm Line, Call when you’re lonely, bored, or need to talk. Pick up the phone, you’re never alone. When the world seems cold you always have the Peer Warm Line. The Peer Warm Line is not a crisis line. The phone number is 802-379-0167 and hours are Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 6pm to 10pm.

Prescription drug take-back program

Bennington Banner

Posted: 08/24/2011 10:45:53 PM EDT

Wednesday August 24, 2011

MANCHESTER — A prescription drug mail-back, drop-off and pick-up program is being put into place for residents in the Manchester and Bennington areas. This initiative is the result of several conversations with legislators, law enforcement, prevention specialists and the passage of a bill which clarifies that the discharge of pharmaceutical waste to state waters is prohibited unless such a discharge is permitted by the agency of natural resources.

This initiative is to help reduce prescription drug abuse and avoid contamination of our lakes and streams. In 2009, one in nine teens reported that prescription drugs are easy to get from their parents medicine cabinet; and the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that teens living in rural America are 13 percent more likely to use prescription drugs for non-medical uses than urban teens. (18,000 teens completed the survey).

There are now three ways to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications. One option is to pick up a label or lables with a return address, along with mailing directions. The labels and the mailing directions can be picked up at The Pharmacy Northshire in Manchester; The Pharmacy Inc. and the Price Chopper Pharmacy in Bennington.

A second option is to drop off unused, unwanted and expired medications at the Manchester Police Department between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Manchester Police Department is located at 604 Main St. in Manchester.

Bennington’s drop off location is the Bennington County Sheriff’s Office. The drop-off time there is 7 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Sheriff’s Office is located at 212 Lincoln St. in Bennington. A third option is to call the Bennington County Sheriff’s Office at 802-442-4900, and arrange a pick up.

Those who wish to donate towards this initiative can make a check out to the Bennington County Sheriff and mail it to 212 Lincoln St., Bennington, VT 05201-1963. For more information, contact maryann@thecollaborative.