This Saturday April 28, 2018 the DEA will be hosting its’ annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This important day is a vital factor which addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. Drug use, abuse and deaths associated with the National Opioids epidemic has reached an all time high.
In 2015 there was a National survey on drug use and health, which estimated that 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs.
The data reported in the study illustrated that a significant portion of the abused prescription drugs were obtained from family, friends and often from someone’s home medicine cabinet.
How Did The Prescription Take Back Day Begin?
On September 8, 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a final rule available to the general public. This final rule discussed the disposal of pharmaceutical controlled substances. Click here for a summary of the Disposal Act.
The Disposal Act amended the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This amendment allowed the DEA the authority to disseminate the new regulations, within the framework of the CSA. This will allow ultimate users to turn in any unused pharmaceutical or any controlled substances to appropriate locations for disposal in a safe and effective manner that would not negatively impact the environment and help secure any further unauthorized access to these substances. The purpose of the Disposal Act is to help support public and private entities to create a variety of methods of collection and disposal in a secure, convenient, and responsible manner.
Click here to locate a collection site near you or call 800-882-9539
The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.