ALEXANDRIA, La. (UrbanCast: 10/21/2023) – Rapides Regional Medical Center is once again partnering with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office to host their fourth “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take back day.
This year’s event takes place on Friday, Oct. 23 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. and has expanded to include all three Mac’s Fresh Markets in Rapides Parish:
- Jackson Street Extension in Alexandria
- La. Highway 28 East in Pineville
- Shreveport Highway in Tioga
Crush the Crisis helps raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications. This annual event coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and offers the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications before they fall into the wrong hands.
Unused Medication
“Unused medications can easily be forgotten in a cabinet or drawer, but properly disposing of them is a simple step we can take to help keep them from being misused,” said Danielle Bryant, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy at Rapides Regional Medical Center. “Crush the Crisis
gives our neighbors a safe, anonymous and convenient way to clear unneeded medications from their homes and help protect their families.”
Last year, Rapides Regional and RPSO collected 502.3 pounds of expired and unused medications, more than doubling what was collected the year before.
“We are so proud to partner once again with Rapides Regional Medical Center for this most important mission of keeping unused prescription medication out of the hands of the public,” said Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood. “Our RADE Unit is dedicated in working toward keeping illegal narcotics out of the Central Louisiana area and their efforts have been successful. However, having a way to address prescription drugs that can be abused is another strategy that is also paying off with the collections last year being over 500 pounds. We will continue this partnership to help make Central Louisiana safer for everyone.”
An estimated 7.2 million people age 12 or older misused prescription pain relievers in 2025, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). At the same time, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows U.S. drug overdose deaths declined nearly 14% in 2025.
“Crush the Crisis is an event we look forward to each year,” said Bryant. “It is a safe and anonymous way to dispose of medications and reduce the risk of misuse and prevent potential harm.
Non-Medical Use
The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America, according to the DEA. The majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs get them family and friends, as well as the home medicine cabinet.
Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). Ointments, lotions, drops, liquid medication in leak-proof containers, vape cartridges without batteries and pet medication will also be accepted. Any medications will be accepted; however, needles, syringes, lancets or liquids will not be accepted. The public is asked to not drop off any unused medications prior to 4 p.m. on Friday.
ABOUT RAPIDES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Rapides Regional Medical Center is a 346-bed acute care hospital located in Alexandria, La., providing healthcare on a higher level for families in approximately 16 central Louisiana parishes. Our mission is to provide high quality, efficient and compassionate health care services for our patients and community through the efforts of our employees, physicians and volunteers. Rapides Regional Medical Center has provided state-of-the-art, comprehensive medical services to our community for 121 years. Rapides Regional Medical Center has been designated a Pathway to Excellence facility by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Our campus is home to Rapides Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Rapides Cancer Center, Rapides Outpatient Center, Rapides Regional Trauma Center, 51-bed emergency department, NICU, PICU and ICU.
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