Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Posted by Hunter Strickler on Fri, Oct 28, 2011 @ 06:30 AM
Tomorrow marks the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) third National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Between the hours of 10AM and 2PM on Saturday, October 29th, Americans are encouraged to safely and effectively dispose of unused or unwanted prescription drugs at thousands of designated drop off sites across the country.
Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in the United States in recent years, with over 7 million Americans abusing prescription pain killers, depressants, or stimulants. In an effort to fight back, the DEA launched the first Prescription Drug Take Back day in September of 2010 and staged another one in April of this year. All totaled, over 300 tons of prescription pills were collected in those two days.
Take Back Days will continue semiannually, the DEA says, until a more efficient method for safe disposal of the drugs can be finalized.
To find your local drop off site, click here: Drop-Off Sites