90,000 pills collected in drug roundup

Some 90,000 prescription pills and an estimated 800 syringes were collected Saturday in Carson City during a prescription drug roundup.

"Carson City was phenomenal. People were really stepping up to the plate bringing in bags and bags," said Kathy Bartosz, director of Partnership Carson City, which along with the Lyon County Healthy Communities Coalition organized the drive. "The first time out Reno only got 30,000 something, so our collection was really good."

Numbers for Lyon County were not available.

Bartosz said the purpose of the drive was two-fold.

"These 90,000 pills are going to be disposed of in a way that is environmentally friendly," she said. "That's many pills that we don't need to worry about falling into hands of people that may not use them for the purposes intended."

According to national statistics, nearly one in five teens report abusing prescription medications that were not prescribed to them.

Experts say the increase in prescription opiates has led to a surge in heroin use among teens.

"Maybe this would also send a message to our doctors that there were this many pills that weren't even used and doctors should be more cognizant," said Bartosz.