The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.
In the five previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected and removed from circulation more than 2 million pounds
(1,018 tons) of prescription medications.
The Army has been participating in the event since its inception and is making an impact.
"We are very pleased that our CONUS garrisons, to include Alaska and Hawaii, have participated in the last four take back days which have been very successful. We have collected over 13,000 pounds of unused and expired prescription medications for proper disposal since April 30, 2011," said Linda Martinez, chief of prevention services, IMCOM Army Substance Abuse Program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
Shortly after DEA's first Take-Back Day event two years ago, Congress passed, and President Obama signed, the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), allowing DEA to develop permanent, ongoing, and responsible methods for disposal. Prior to the passage of the Disposal Act, the CSA provided no legal means for transferring possession of controlled substance medications from users to other individuals for disposal. On December 21, 2012, DEA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Disposal of Controlled Substances. These regulations would implement the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 by expanding the options available to collect controlled substances from ultimate users for purposes of disposal to include: Take-Back events, mail-back programs, and collection receptacle locations. However, until these regulations become permanent,
DEA will continue to hold Take-Back Days.
On September 29, 2012, DEA held its fifth event in two years. DEA's state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, working at more than 5,263 locations, collected 488,395 pounds (244 tons) of prescription medications from members of the public.
According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), more than six million Americans abuse prescription drugs. That same study revealed more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers got them through friends or relatives, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
"This is an excellent opportunity for Soldiers, Families or Civilians who missed previous Army-sponsored events or who have participated in these events to safely dispose of their medications," said Martinez. "I encourage all of you to support your local National Prescription Take-Back Day collection site and turn in your unused and unwanted medications.
Help us eliminate the risk of prescription drug abuse or accidental poisoning."
To find your local drop-off site, visit: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/
takeback/index.htm
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