The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and participating local law enforcement are coordinating the annual nationwide drug “take-back” day on April 27th, 2013 from 10 am to 2 pm. This one-day event will provide residents with no cost anonymous collection of unwanted and expired medicines.
Collect your medications
Protect our kids, families and environment by properly disposing of your unwanted and expired medicines. Medicines in the home are a leading cause of accidental poisoning and flushed or trashed medicines can end up polluting our waters. Rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high – over half of teens abusing medicines get them from a family member or friend, including the home medicine cabinet, and often without their knowledge. Proper disposal of these medications is the best way to ensure they don’t end up where they shouldn’t.
Ongoing efforts
For the safety of our kids, families and environment, some local communities are providing temporary ongoing take-back programs to help you properly dispose of unwanted and expired medicines in your homes until a permanent statewide or nationwide program is in place.
Take-back programs are the best way that we have to control these unwanted medications. Law enforcement, public health, and environmental professionals all support these take-back programs, such as the DEA’s take-back event on Saturday, April 27th, as the safest and most responsible way to dispose of unwanted and expired medicines to protect your family and to protect our waters.
The DEA’s National Pharmaceutical Take-Back Day is a great one-time opportunity, but it provides only a band-aid solution to an ongoing need. Year-round programs are required to ensure families have ongoing access to safe disposal of unwanted and expired medicines. Check with your local pharmacy or police department, or visit DisposeMyMeds.org, to determine if there are ongoing collection locations in your area.
