Save The Date!
National Prescription Take-Back Day, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will take place in communities across America on September 26th from 10am-2pm. Those who live in Pennsylvania and Delaware will have their event on September 12. As with the DEA's previous nine Take-Back events, sites will be set up throughout communities nationwide so local residents can return their unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal.
Collection sites in every local community can be found by going to www.dea.gov. This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations, beginning on September 1st.
4 Ways To Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.
“Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem and this is a great opportunity for folks around the country to help reduce the threat,” DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said. "Please clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse.”
In the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs were collected.