Nashville, Tenn. — TriStar Centennial Medical Center will participate in the US Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this month.

On Saturday, October 28, the community is invited to drop off unused opioid prescriptions at TriStar Centennial Medical Center’s “Crush the Crisis”� event for the medicine to be disposed of properly with the assistance of the Metro Nashville Police Department. The hospital will be safely disposing pain reliever pills, capsules and patches.

According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Health stated over 1,600 Tennesseans passed away from drug overdoses: the leading cause of death over suicides, homicides and motor vehicle accidents.

“Our goal for ‘Crush the Crisis’ is to bring awareness to the dangers of opioid addiction and increase awareness on proper prescription disposal,”� said Dr. Jeffrey Hodrick, orthopedic surgeon with Southern Joint Replacement Institute. “Opioid addiction can happen to anyone and we are providing this drop off opportunity confidentially and anonymously.”�

“Crush the Crisis”� will take place from 10 AM — 2 PM at the TriStar Centennial Medical Center Heart & Vascular Center Motor Lobby at 2300 Patterson Street located on the ground level of the corner of 23rd Avenue and Patterson Street. Complimentary t-shirts will be given to the first 100 people that attend.

For more information about “Crush the Crisis,”� please call (615) 342-1702.