The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 27th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications. Their are several sites in Travis County and surrounding areas. Go to http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html for maps and the exact location of the drop-off at a given site.
You may also check with http://www.disposemymeds.org/ which lists pharmacies that are open to year-round disposal. Call first to verify their participation, as the website is not always completely up to date.
WHY DO IT?
You Care about Drug Abuse
Unused medication in the household may contribute to growing rates of prescription drug abuse among Americans, particularly teenagers. The Partnership for Drug Free America’s study of 7th-12th graders found that 40% of respondents believe using prescription drugs is safer than using illegal drugs. In addition, 29% think that pain relievers are not addictive, and 62% of teens who abuse prescription pain relievers said they do so because they are easily accessible through parents’ medicine cabinets. The second most common type of drug abuse after marijuana was prescription drugs.
You Care About the Environment
In the absence of waste pharmaceutical collection programs, residents are often instructed to flush unwanted pharmaceuticals down toilets or dispose of them in the trash. There is concern that these practices contribute to the contamination of surface waters, ground waters, and biosolids. The presence of pharmaceuticals has been linked to abnormalities and impaired reproductive performance in some aquatic species.
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