National Prescription Drug Take Back Day & Youth Prevention with Brittany Quintanilla

Guests: Rob "Birdman" Hephner and Brittany Quintanilla

Location: NEXUS Coalition for Drug Prevention, Navajo County

Theme: Safe medication disposal, youth outreach, and mental-health awareness

💊 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

• Brittany introduces National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, held on October 25, as a nationwide initiative to safely dispose of expired or unused prescription medications.

• Birdman highlights the everyday dilemma of leftover prescriptions—unsafe to toss in the trash or down the drain because of environmental contamination and potential drug misuse.

• Brittany explains that throughout Navajo County, residents can use secure, anonymous drop boxes at police stations, fire departments, and some pharmacies.

• The process is simple:

  • Remove or mark out personal information on bottles.

  • Place pills in a Ziploc bag before dropping them off.

  • No liquids, inhalers, or sharps (needles) are accepted.

• The boxes are available year-round, not just on Take Back Day—making every day a safe disposal day.

🧑‍🏫 Youth Prevention & Community Outreach

• Brittany shares that NEXUS is starting a new grant year with expanded prevention education in the Pinetop–Lakeside and Show Low areas.

• She teaches life-skills and prevention programs such as Lion's Quest at Blue Ridge Junior High (reaching ~120 eighth-graders) and Show Low High School (nearly 200 students).

• Topics include the dangers of vaping and underage drinking, helping youth make informed, healthy decisions.

💚 Mental-Health Advocacy

• Birdman notices the positive-message stickers at NEXUS—"Prioritize Mental Health," "It's Okay to Not Feel Okay," "Talk a Little Kinder to Yourself Today," and "You Are Enough."

• Brittany explains that these stickers include QR codes linking to local mental-health resources, making help easy to find.

• Both emphasize that mental health underpins substance-abuse prevention, and open dialogue is key to stronger, healthier communities.

🤝 Closing Message

• Brittany encourages the community to take advantage of the permanent drop boxes and to reach out to NEXUS for prevention resources and support.

• Birdman wraps up with thanks to Brittany and NEXUS for their ongoing work in education, mental-health promotion, and public safety.

• The episode ends with a reminder to "Tell Your Story" and support the organizations making a real difference across the Arizona White Mountains.

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