The Stomp It Out Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness group hosted the Hop and Stop prescription drug drop-off event at Fresno State’s North Gym on Wednesday, April 24, featuring guest speaker and Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.

The event, formerly operated by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Foundation, was held on Fresno State’s campus for the first time.

Hop and Stop promotes safe disposal of prescription drugs and brings awareness to prescription drug abuse issues in the community. Attendees were able to drive up and drop off unused or expired prescription medication.

“The Stomp It Out prescription drug abuse awareness program is a fun way to bring the community together to talk about a serious issue and get prescription drugs out of our homes,” said Malia Sherman, director of counseling and psychological services at the Student Health and Counseling Center at Fresno State.

The program has significant implications for the college student population. “We know that, nationwide, many college students use prescription medication that’s not prescribed to them — especially ADHD medication to help with studying — and that leads to further addiction problems,” Sherman said.

“We want to bring attention to this issue for our college student population, but we also want to partner with the community to address it on a bigger scale.”

Free hot dogs and hamburgers, a performance by Jeremy “Elvis” Pearce and a classic car show were also available on site. The program featured musical numbers by the Teen Challenge Choir, a group made up of individuals in recovery.

For more information, contact Sherman at the Student Health and Counseling Center at 559.278.6777.