Letter to Editor from Republican Sheriff’s candidate Matt Ward about opioids

Dear Editor;

Did you know that approximately 70 % of children and teens who abuse prescription drugs got them originally from family and friends?  A common source! Your medicine cabinet right in your very own home! Reducing accumulated and easily accessible prescription drugs from reaching our children and teens can be prevented.

The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office currently participates in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Campaign a couple of times each year through the DEA’s scheduled take back day events.  Let’s go a step further by providing year-round prescription drug disposal.  Citizens will then be able to clean out their medicine cabinets and dispose of accumulated prescription drugs safely.  This would enable us to take another step towards preventing drug addiction and overdose deaths.

This is also the perfect opportunity to reach out and utilize available resources here in Botetourt County.  I would partner with our students in the Welding program through the Botetourt Technical Education Center and local businesses for the materials needed to construct a drug collection box. This can be accomplished by having our welding students build a secure box made of 14-gauge steel.  Partnering together with our welding students will allow them to showcase their skills, gain practical hands-on experience and the opportunity to help their community in the process. 

Drug collection boxes have been implemented and installed by over 3,000 agencies nationwide in secure locations within their law enforcement buildings.  The cost of Drug collection boxes range from $900.00 to $1,500.00.  By partnering with our local students as a resource this will create a cost effective solution with minimal expenditure if any at all.  Good stewardship of taxpayer dollars will be a priority. It only makes sense to use every available resource with a fiscally responsible mindset.    

As your Sheriff, I will continue to partner with neighboring agencies, local businesses and local resources to do our part in helping prevent unnecessary deaths from overdoses while also helping those struggling with addictions sustain their recovery.

Thank you,

Matthew Ward, Republican Candidate for Botetourt County Sheriff.

Feel free to make appropriate comments to Ward’s FB page