DEA Holds Its 10TH Prescription Drug Take-Back Day This Saturday
Event will take place from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, September 26th
EL PASO, Texas - This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be over 50 collection sites throughout the El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico area to return all unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe and anonymous disposal. This is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in the past five years. Collection sites in every local community, manned by DEA and its local law enforcement and community partners, can be found by going to www.dea.gov - or calling 800-882-9539.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses vital public safety and health issues. 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 alarmingly high, 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 medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away - posing safety and environmental hazards.
“Americans are abusing prescription drugs in record numbers. This take back event highlights this problem and provides a unique and meaningful service to our communities,” said Will Glaspy, Special Agent in Charge of the El Paso Division. “This event also gives our citizens an opportunity to contribute to the solution by safely disposing their unwanted and unused prescription drugs.”
DEA’s previous nine nationwide Take-Back events collected 4,823,251 pounds-more than 2,411 tons-of drugs.
