DEA Announces 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back
DENVER - DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg has 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, 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.
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.
“Take-Back Day is another way that DEA can work with law enforcement partners, and the community as a whole, to help reduce the alarmingly high incidence of accidental prescription drug poisonings.” stated Barbra Roach, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Denver Field Division. “Each year over 43,000 people die of unintentional overdoses. That’s more than deaths by firearms or car accidents. Please help to make your homes and our communities safer places by taking part and disposing of your unused prescription drugs.”
In the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs were collected.
