Groups, volunteers, high school students and folks simply supporting the fight against prescription drug abuse are working to pass out 10,000 flyers this week. The goal is to get people to show up Saturday for a 5K walk and run. And collect unused or expired medication.
"To make our homes safer, to make our neighborhoods safer and to really tackle a serious problem," said State President Dean Witt of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Dani Kellogg is a Buchanan High School junior. She acknowledges prescription drug abuse is a problem amongst her peers.
"After surgery like if a friend busted their knee then they have like vicodin or those kinds of pills," said Kellogg.
Several leaders including Fresno County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian hope this push helps to educate people that the problem can start at home.
"Drug abuse does not pick areas, does not pick financial situations it's everywhere in our community," said Poochigian.
Flindt Andersen is the founder of Prescription Abusers In Need. He is a recovering addict, who at one point took 70 pills of vicodin a day before his path to recovery.
"Parents think that if their child gets clean for the first time the problem is going to go away, but that's just not true," said Andersen.
Andersen says there's only about a 3% recovery rate for young adults, resulting in a high rate of relapse. A problem that starts with a single pill.
The main event Saturday is a 5K walk and run at Buchanan stadium. And the Sheriff's office encourages you to drop off any unused or expired pills at that time.
