SAN ANTONIO (April 11, 2014) -- Army installations across the United States are once again partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and state and local law enforcement agencies April 26 in support of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
Military installations will provide drop-off locations for active duty, Family members, Civilian employees and retirees to anonymously turn in medications or prescription drugs.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Soldiers, Families and Civilians to safely dispose of their medications," said Pamela Budda, chief of the Army Substance Abuse Program at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command. "Help us eliminate the risk of prescription drug abuse or accidental poisoning."
The semiannual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is set aside to encourage American citizens to turn in unused or expired prescribed medications for proper disposal. DEA initiated the observance on Sept. 24, 2010.
In conjunction with the next National Prescription Take-Back Day, the Army is launching a new campaign to promote positive, healthy behavior among Soldiers. ?"It?'s a Thin Line between Use, Misuse and Abuse" will educate the Army community about the proper use of prescription drugs and the dangers and consequences of prescription drug misuse. "It's a Thin Line" also provides tools and resources for mitigating negative consequences.
IMCOM has taken the lead for the Army and garrisons have participated in the last six National Prescription Take-Back Days to dispose of unwanted and unused drugs. These semiannual events have resulted in the safe collection and disposal of over 25,000 pounds of prescription drugs on our garrisons.
Take-Back Day offers Soldiers, Family members and Civilians an opportunity to safely turn in all their unused and unwanted prescription drugs to help address potential misuse or abuse and foster safe and healthy Army communities.
Garrison commanders throughout IMCOM support the initiative. "We are very pleased that our continental United States garrisons, to include Alaska and Hawaii, have participated in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and made the take-back events a big success," Budda said.
"I encourage all of you to support your local National Prescription Take Back Day collection site and turn in your unused and unwanted medications," she said.
Throughout the United States, approximately 4,000 state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the previous National Prescription Drug Take Back Days.
Garrison ASAP offices will serve as installation points of contact, and will coordinate with local DEA POCs for the proper procedures of medication handling and disposal.
Look for collection points in areas of high visibility to the military community.
Certified law enforcement officers will be present at the drop off locations for the duration of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day activities, per DEA protocols.
For more information about the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, or to find a drop-off location, contact your local ASAP representative or visit the DEA Web site at: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html or
For more information on ?"It?'s a Thin Line between Use, Misuse and Abuse," visit http://www.armythinline.org.
Visit the Army Substance Abuse Program website at http://acsap.army.mil/sso/pages/index.jsp
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About the U.S. Army Installation Management Command:
IMCOM handles the day-to-day operations of U.S. Army installations around the globe -- We are the Army's Home. Army installations are communities that provide many of the same types of services expected from any small city. Fire, police, housing, and child-care are just some of the things IMCOM does in Army communities every day. Our professional workforce strives to deliver on the commitments of the Army Family Covenant, honor the sacrifices of military Families, and enable the Army Force Generation cycle.
Our vision: Ready & Resilient Army: Provide Soldiers, Families and Civilians with a quality of life commensurate with the quality of their service.
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