Chattanooga, TN --- In honor of National Pharmacy Week, Chattanooga State’s Pharmacy Technician Program will host a presentation on Tennessee’s Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse on Friday, October 24 at 11:00 a.m. in the Humanities Theatre. Angela McKinney Jones, the Director of the Tennessee Office of Prevention Services within the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, will be the keynote speaker to the campus community. The program is free and open to the public as well as health and educational professionals. In 2010, the DEA ranked Tennessee 2nd (tied with Nevada) in the United States for the number of prescription opioids sold, with only Florida tallying a higher amount. In 2012, Tennessee reported 18,258,566 prescriptions to the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database. This represents a 25 percent increase in the number of controlled prescriptions dispensed from 2010 through 2012. In addition, drug-related overdoses have also dramatically increased at a greater rate in Tennessee than in the United States. Nationwide there has been a 127 percent increase; however, Tennessee has seen a 210 percent increase with 1,094 overdose deaths in 2012 compared to 342 in 1999. Overdose deaths from prescription medications are higher than those of cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and inhalants combined. Chattanooga State’s Pharmacy Technician Program and Community Health Institute sponsor this important presentation. It is free and open to health professionals, educators, and anyone wanting more information on this critical health topic. In addition, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will sponsor a Drug-Take-Back program for anyone to safely turn in unwanted or unused medications for proper disposal from 9 a.m.-11a.m. near the CARTA bus stop located on the main drive of the Amnicola campus. There will be exhibit tables in the lobby of the Humanities Building prior to the 11 a.m. event. Organizations wanting exhibit space can contact Dr. Nancy V. Watts at Nancy.Watts@Chattanoogastate.edu.