DEA Hosts 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday
The DEA will host its 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event on Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
ST. LOUIS –The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) St. Louis Division in partnership with law enforcement agencies across Missouri, Kansas and Southern Illinois, will host 186 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day locations in which unused, unnecessary and expired prescription medications will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, October 25.
The 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event provides Americans a way to safely and anonymously dispose of medications at nearly 4,000 collection sites across the country, in an effort to prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs. Syringes, sharps and illicit drugs will not be collected. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be securely sealed in their original containers.
“Our hope is that families will take advantage of this opportunity to safely and anonymously rid their homes of unneeded prescription medications by participating in a nearby Take Back Day location,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Medications left unattended are often cause for experimentation or abuse. Let’s remove that opportunity by collecting these items and disposing of them in an environmentally safe way.”
Since 2010, a staggering 20 million pounds of unused medications have been collected at Take Back Day events.
“DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects our shared commitment to protecting the American people from drug-related harm,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said. “This effort brings together law enforcement, public health, and communities in a unified mission – keeping homes safe, preventing the misuse of prescription drugs before it starts, and saving lives. Every prescription drug turned in represents one less opportunity for tragedy and one more act of protection for our families and neighborhoods.”
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications.
For more information or to find a location nearest you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
If you are unable to participate in this National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are nearly 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses, in addition to many police departments, that offer safe medication disposal year-round. For information on permanent drop boxes, please visit Every Day is Take Back Day.
