Blog

National Drug Take-Back Day

Are you one of the millions of Americans that has unused prescription medication in your medicine cabinet? If so, now is your chance to safely dispose of those. Tomorrow, Saturday April 30th, is The 11th Annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. This day, created by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), serves to provide a responsible way to dispose of prescription medication. It also aims to educate the public about substance abuse and misuse.

The unused medications left in medicine cabinets can lead to trouble for all populations. Over 300 children are treated daily in emergency rooms as a result of ingesting prescription medication. Teens often steal this medication to experiment or get high, thus possibly leading to addiction. Additionally, having old medication can confuse the elderly, as they are unsure of which ones they should take.

Safely disposing of medications is not always easy. They can’t just be flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain. Doing so for most medications can hurt water supplies. The safest way is to dispose of them at a collection center where trained professionals can handle them.

The public is able to dispose of their medication between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at a regulated collection center. The drop off is free and anonymous. To find a collection center near you, visit www.dea.gov.

Have you re-enrolled for Medicaid? Learn more about changes that could affect your coverage.