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

Update: 2025-10-23

Description

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

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.

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.

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.

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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