The Council on Alcohol and Drugs and Georgia Law Enforcement Launch Statewide "Operation Drug Drop Off" Campaign

ATLANTA, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "One person dies every 19 minutes from prescription drug abuse in the United States." Many experts in the field of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse prevention believe the number of deaths from these drugs will decrease as a result of communities having a safe and convenient way to dispose of leftover Rx and OTC drugs.

In response to the growing demand and need for a safe and convenient way to dispose of leftover Rx and OTC drugs, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs (The Council) has donated a drug drop box in virtually every county in the state that requested one (128 counties to date). Georgia now has more law enforcement-maintained drug drop boxes than any other state in the country. The name of the campaign is "Operation Drug Drop Off." The Council has also launched an associated statewide Drug Drop Box Media Campaign to publicize the presence of these boxes.

The goals of this program are to keep Rx and OTC drugs from getting into the hands of children and grandchildren, to keep them off the street, and to prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings. At the same time the Campaign also allows citizens to dispose of their out of date and unwanted Rx and OTC drugs safely and securely, avoiding environmental contamination via improper disposal methods.

Items that can be placed in these secure drug drop boxes include expired and unused Rx drugs (non-narcotics and narcotics) and OTC drugs, medication samples, medicated ointment/lotion, drops, inhalers, unopened epi-pens, herbals, and veterinary medications. Items that should not be placed in the boxes include needles or sharps, biohazard materials, and illegal drugs.

Georgia citizens can locate their closest drug drop box location by visiting this website: www.StopRxAbuseinGA.org. For additional information or questions concerning Operation Drug Drop Off, please contact John Bringuel, MA, ICPS, at (404) 223-2484 or email Mr. Bringuel at jbringuel@livedrugfree.org.

For more information on preventing alcohol and drug abuse please visit, www.livedrugfree.org.

SOURCE The Council on Alcohol and Drugs

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Why Georgia is claiming control over a slice of Tennessee

A centuries-old land dispute gains new life during a severe drought

Feeling the pinch of a severe drought, Georgia lawmakers have devised an ingenious way of bringing more water into their parched state: Redraw the state lines.

On Monday, the Georgia Senate approved a resolution that would redraw the state's border with Tennessee to give Georgia control over a small strip of land along the Tennessee River. Under the change, Georgia would gain access to the river, but no Tennessee residents living near the state border would be affected.

SEE MORE: Why Republicans are optimistic about retaking the Senate in 2014

According to supporters of the measure, Georgia should have been in control of that land all along. They say an 1818 federal survey erroneously marked the state border one mile south of its intended location, inadvertently giving Tennessee control over a swath of Georgia's land.

"The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified the Tennessee River as a likely source of water for north Georgia. Yet, the state of Tennessee has used mis-marked boundary lines to block our access to this important waterway," Georgia State Senator David Shafer (R) said in a statement.

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According to the United States Department of Agriculture, most of Georgia is currently experiencing a period of abnormal aridity, with parts of the state afflicted by a 

Georgia's lawmakers say they're being generous with the offer. They're asking only that Tennessee return a small part of the allegedly misappropriated land, not the whole chunk, so that Georgia can draw water from the river to hydrate the region.

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The resolution calls on Tennessee to accept the new land terms, something lawmakers there have not yet addressed. Should they reject the request, the resolution specifically calls for Georgia's attorney general to pursue legal action to reclaim all of the contested land, not just the sliver Georgia is currently seeking. The federal government has weighed in a few times before to settle land disputes between states.

It's not the first time Georgia has tried to reclaim the disputed land. In 2008, a drought prompted similar legislation, though Tennessee rejected that plan. The state has pursued other reclamation efforts since as far back as 1880, though those also stalled.

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The resolution now heads back to the Georgia House of Representatives for final approval. The Senate lightly amended a previous House-passed bill, and the revised version is expected to pass in the lower chamber as well.

In the unlikely event that it is ultimately accepted by both states, it would go on to the U.S. Congress for ratification.

SEE MORE: The feds are probing Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign (again)

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View the original article here

Why Georgia is claiming control over a slice of Tennessee

A centuries-old land dispute gains new life during a severe drought

Feeling the pinch of a severe drought, Georgia lawmakers have devised an ingenious way of bringing more water into their parched state: Redraw the state lines.

On Monday, the Georgia Senate approved a resolution that would redraw the state's border with Tennessee to give Georgia control over a small strip of land along the Tennessee River. Under the change, Georgia would gain access to the river, but no Tennessee residents living near the state border would be affected.

SEE MORE: Why Republicans are optimistic about retaking the Senate in 2014

According to supporters of the measure, Georgia should have been in control of that land all along. They say an 1818 federal survey erroneously marked the state border one mile south of its intended location, inadvertently giving Tennessee control over a swath of Georgia's land.

"The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified the Tennessee River as a likely source of water for north Georgia. Yet, the state of Tennessee has used mis-marked boundary lines to block our access to this important waterway," Georgia State Senator David Shafer (R) said in a statement.

SEE MORE: WATCH: Jim Carrey mocks gun lovers in new video

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, most of Georgia is currently experiencing a period of abnormal aridity, with parts of the state afflicted by a 

Georgia's lawmakers say they're being generous with the offer. They're asking only that Tennessee return a small part of the allegedly misappropriated land, not the whole chunk, so that Georgia can draw water from the river to hydrate the region.

SEE MORE: Is the U.S. preparing for a larger post-withdrawal role in Afghanistan?

The resolution calls on Tennessee to accept the new land terms, something lawmakers there have not yet addressed. Should they reject the request, the resolution specifically calls for Georgia's attorney general to pursue legal action to reclaim all of the contested land, not just the sliver Georgia is currently seeking. The federal government has weighed in a few times before to settle land disputes between states.

It's not the first time Georgia has tried to reclaim the disputed land. In 2008, a drought prompted similar legislation, though Tennessee rejected that plan. The state has pursued other reclamation efforts since as far back as 1880, though those also stalled.

SEE MORE: Could Spotify become the next Netflix?

The resolution now heads back to the Georgia House of Representatives for final approval. The Senate lightly amended a previous House-passed bill, and the revised version is expected to pass in the lower chamber as well.

In the unlikely event that it is ultimately accepted by both states, it would go on to the U.S. Congress for ratification.

SEE MORE: The feds are probing Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign (again)

View this article on TheWeek.com Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

Other stories from this section:

• When secret facilities aren't
• The war at home
• Or maybe I'm wrong on gay Republicans

Like on Facebook - Follow on Twitter - Sign-up for Daily Newsletter

View the original article here