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Every year millions of pills are dispensed in the United States that – for a variety of reasons – never get taken by the person for whom they were intended.
Sometimes a doctor changes a prescription, or a patient simply doesn’t take their meds. Often a patient dies with a medicine cabinet full of pills.
Whatever the reason, these drugs pose a serious threat, both to people, and to the environment.
Too often, they end up flushed down the drain, or tossed into the trash, only to end up in rivers and streams.
Sometimes they end up in the hands of the wrong persons, and are used recreationally – particularly by teenagers.
For many, the dilemma is how to properly dispose of these pills. To this end, the National Take Back Initiative was created by the DEA, in conjunction local law enforcement agencies, to provide a safe place to take these drugs.
This from the DEA division of the DOJ.
You’ll find handy links for a search engine that will provide you with local drop off locations around the country.
NATIONAL TAKE BACK INITIATIVE
APRIL 30, 2011
10:00 AM - 2:00 PMFind a collection site near you
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.
In an effort to address this problem, DEA, in conjunction with state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, conducted the first ever National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, September 25, 2010. The purpose of this National Take Back Day was to provide a venue for persons who wanted to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs. This effort was a huge success in removing potentially dangerous prescription drugs, particularly controlled substances, from our nation’s medicine cabinets. There were approximately 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the nation that participated in the event. All told, the American Public turned in more than 121 tons of pills on this first National Take Back Day.
Due to the overwhelming success of the first event, DEA has scheduled the second National Prescription Drug Take Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the first event or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of them.
Find a collection site near you
As a final note, for anyone thinking about hanging on to these medications for `a rainy day’, many lose potency over time – and worse – a few can become toxic with age.
Better to turn them in, and let the experts deal with their disposal, than to risk using them or having them fall into the wrong hands.
Today is a good day to go through your medicine cabinet in anticipation of Saturday’s event.
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