Prescription Drug Take Back Day Oct. 22

Parent Cafe
1

Because I often see people question what they can do with old medications:

"On Saturday, October 22, 2016…12th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), this collaborative effort between state and local law enforcement agencies provides residents with an opportunity to dispose of potentially dangerous controlled substances from their medicine cabinets in an environmentally safe manner.

Deaths from prescription drug overdoses continue to rise… This public health emergency can be directly impacted by the actions of …citizens. According to the DEA, 2,411 tons of drugs were collected nationwide from 2010-2014.

… many citizens are unaware that prescription drugs are susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse; and can be easily obtained from home medicine cabinets. Furthermore, drugs that are disposed of improperly- such as medications flushed down the toilet- can enter public drinking water supplies and can create various other public safety and health concerns.

… it is free and anonymous with no questions asked . Collection activities will take place from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. at sites coordinated with law enforcement agencies… Visit the DEA online for more information, and to find a collection site near you."

2

Thank you so much for this information. I have been hanging onto a bag of old meds waiting for this and thought I’d missed it for this year.

3

Thanks – I have a couple of bottles filled with old meds that need to be disposed of safely.

4

We are fortunate in our community that the local police station has a depository available to discard meds every day during regular business hours. It’s a container that looks just like a good old-fashion USPS mailbox. This is much more convenient than having to wait for the national collection day.

5

I’ve never understood why hospitals do not routinely take old meds back and dispose of them.

6

Walgreens offers this on an ongoing basis and I believe CVS also participates.

7

I’ve never understood why hospitals do not routinely take old meds back and dispose of them.>>>>>>>>

Because they pay for medical waste disposal by the pound.