United States Drug Enforcement Administration

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) Columbia District Office is partnering with national, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, as well as community coalition groups, to hold its 14th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.  This one-day event will make it convenient for the public to rid their homes of potentially dangerous prescription drugs. At the event, South Carolinians will be able to drop off their expired, unused, and unwanted pills at sites across the state free of charge, no questions asked.  By doing so, they will help prevent prescription drug abuse and theft. South Carolinians participating in DEA’s last take-back held on April 29, 2017, yielded 7,404 pounds of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at sites set up throughout the state.

Daniel R. Salter, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division said, “The Prescription Drug Take-Back program will allow Americans to properly and safely dispose of their prescription medication which could otherwise be abused for non-medical purposes. This event is free and anonymous, simply turn in your unused, unwanted, unneeded medication, no questions asked. DEA is committed to making our communities safer by raising public awareness about the dangers of controlled prescription drugs. This is just one of example of how DEA is working hand-in-hand with its law enforcement and community partners in an effort to stem the tide of controlled prescription drugs.” 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. 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 a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. DEA launched its prescription drug take back program when both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advised the public that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines-flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash-posed potential safety and health hazards.

The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justthinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv