Safely Dispose Your Unused Medicine on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day (USA)

September 20, 2015 Off By Dino Mustafić

DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg has announced that the 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back will take place September 26 from 10 am-2 pm local time in every state but Pennsylvania and Delaware, where the event took place on September 12.

Image: DEA

DEA says that, 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 .

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. As DEA says, 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.

Furthermore, 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.

“Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem and this is a great opportunity for folks around the country to help reduce the threat,” Rosenberg said.

“Please clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse.”

DEA notes that in the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs were collected.