It’s important for people to dispose of old prescription medications safely and anonymously on Saturday, April 25, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s, or DEA, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Law enforcement agencies across the nation will be hosting collection sites from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drop-off locations can be found by visiting https://deatakeback.com.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a way for people across the country to remove unwanted or expired medications from their homes to help prevent theft or abuse. The goal is to continue to bring drug overdose rates down by providing an easy, safe, and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted, unused, unneeded, or expired medications.
“Most opioid abuse starts with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home,” Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. “Safely disposing of medications keeps your loved ones safe and protects the wider community.”
DEA and law enforcement partners have collected more than 20.4 million pounds of unwanted, unused, and expired medications since National Prescription Drug Take Bay Day began 16 years ago.
Prescription opioids can lead to addiction and overdose. Prevention of prescription drug misuse and opioid addiction starts at home, Brown said. Removing unnecessary prescriptions reduces the chances of someone accidentally taking medication, misusing prescription drugs, or sharing them intentionally.
