First-Ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
August 30, 2010; Joshua Davis
The Drug Enforcement Administration and government, community, public health and law enforcement partners have announced a nationwide prescription drug “take-back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft. DEA will collect potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites nationwide on Saturday, September 25, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
This initiative 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 United States are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of 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.
Collection sites in every local community can be found by going to www.dea.gov or (https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/NTBI/NTBI-PUB.do?_flowId=public-flow). This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations. Other participants in this initiative include the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National Association of Attorneys General; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; the Federation of State Medical Boards; and the National District Attorneys Association.
For more information, visit www.justice.gov/dea/index.htm.