DEA Announces 10th National Prescription Drug Take Back
Event will take place from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, September 26th
NEW ORLEANS - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Keith Brown announced that the 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back will take place September 26th from 10 am-2 pm local time. 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. This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. 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. 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 trafficking and abuse is our nation’s fastest growing drug problem and destroys countless lives. This widespread problem can only be countered by an effective collaboration among law enforcement, the medical community, and the public to identify and stop those responsible for the illegal distribution and abuse of prescription drugs in our communities. This initiative provides a safe way for our citizens to dispose of their unwanted prescription drugs and reduce the threat they pose to public health,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith Brown.
In the previous nine Take-Back events nationwide from 2010-2014, 4,823,251 pounds, or 2,411 tons of drugs were collected.
Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
