Expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs are potentially quite dangerous when circulating in homes or amongst the public. Thus in the United States, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has initiated a program that will have persons drop these medications off at select locations on a voluntary basis. To-date, over 3,400 locations have offered up space acting as these drop points, joining this “Take-Back” national effort to prevent abuse, indecent disposal and theft. Persons can find these locations at www.dea.gov, with opening hours from 10am-2pm local times.

Michele M. Leonhart, Acting Administrator for the DEA says:

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign will provide a safe way for Americans to dispose of their unwanted prescription drugs. This effort symbolizes DEA’s commitment to halting the disturbing rise in addiction caused by their misuse and abuse. Working together with our state and local partners, the medical community, anti-drug coalitions, and a concerned public, we will eliminate a major source of abused prescription drugs, and reduce the hazard they pose to our families and communities in a safe, legal, and environmentally sound way.

Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem. More often than not, medicines are being misused and being obtained from one’s family and friends, frequently directly from home cabinets. Studies in the United States show this abuse rapidly on the rise, but also accidental poisonings and overdoes are a side effect of not proper care of these prescriptions. Another problem is proper disposal. Even throwing in the kitchen garbage or flushing down them down the toilet pose health and safety detriments to the community.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler continues:

With this National Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign, we are aggressively reaching out to individuals to encourage them to rid their households of unused prescription drugs that pose a safety hazard and can contribute to prescription drug abuse. The Department of Justice is committed to doing everything we can to make our communities safer, and this initiative represents a new front in our efforts.

Finally, Director of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske:

Prescription drug abuse is the Nation’s fastest-growing drug problem, and take-back events like this one are an indispensable tool for reducing the threat that the diversion and abuse of these drugs pose to public health. Federal/state/and local collaboration represented in this initiative is key in our national efforts to reduce pharmaceutical drug diversion and abuse.

Collection sites in every local community can be found by going to www.dea.gov. This site is continuously updated with new take-back locations. In addition, interested media can now go to: www.nationaltakebackday.com to download a public service announcement about the initiative.

Other participants in this initiative include the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Partnership for a Drug-Free America; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National Association of Attorneys General; the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; the Federation of State Medical Boards; and the National District Attorneys Association.

Source: DEA

Written by: Sy Kraft, B.A.