Drug Enforcement Administration Announces 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Event Will Take Place From 10 Am-2 Pm On Saturday, September 26th
HOUSTON - DEA Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit today announced that the 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back will take place September 26th from 10 am - 2 pm local time. As with the previous nine Take-Back events, collection locations 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 website will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines languishing 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 either flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away - both of which pose potential safety and health hazards.
In the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, approximately 4,823,251 pounds, (or 2,411 tons) of drugs were collected and safely disposed of by DEA.
