FORT SILL, Okla. (Oct. 24, 2013) -- The Army Substance Abuse Program and Directorate of Emergency Services at Fort Sill will join with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and local law enforcement agencies to sponsor a Drug Take-Back Day today, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fort Sill disposal sites are the Main Exchange Food Court (Bldg. 1718 Macomb Road) and the Commissary (1719 Macomb Road). The disposal process is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
In past years, more than 2 million pounds, or 1,000 tons, of expired and unused prescription drugs have been collected through this program.
ASAP, in conjunction with the DEA, the Oklahoma Drug Enforcement office and Lawton police, collected more than 650 pounds of medications on the two take-back days last year.
Even with those efforts, there are still too many prescription and over-the-counter medications being stolen, diverted or misused.
According to a 2011 government study, more than six million Americans abuse prescription drugs, and more than 70 percent of people abusing pain medications got them from friends or relatives, often stealing them from family medicine cabinets and night stands.
Turning in expired and leftover medications is a first step in reducing the problem of prescription drug abuse. Also, keep all other medications, especially controlled substances, locked away so they cannot be stolen or accidentally taken by small children.
Soldiers are also reminded that if they have been taking prescription medications recently, but did not finish the prescription, they should turn in the unused medicine for disposal if the prescription has expired. They should not save those drugs to take later.
If they take the drugs six months after the prescription was written, and then test positive on a urinalysis test, they will be in violation of Army Regulation 600-85, even though the medication was originally prescribed to them.
Experts also advise that the common methods for disposing of unused medicines - throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet - pose potential safety and environmental health hazards. So don't toss or flush those pills, bring them to the Fort Sill Drug Take-back Day today.
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