Prescription drug abuse is a serious issue in the US. According to statistics found in last year’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 10 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The same study found that the overwhelming majority of these cases of prescription drug abuse were caused by medications obtained from family or friends (often from a bathroom medicine cabinet). This is why the Family Practice Center healthcare providers are spreading awareness about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, this Saturday, October 26, 2019.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was created to provide a safe and responsible way for people to discard their expired or unused prescription medications. Doing so can help prevent prescription drug abuse by helping to keep meds out of the hands of those who they were not originally prescribed for. This past April, there was another National Take Back Day, during which 937,443 pounds (or 468.72 tons) of unused or expired prescription meds were discarded. That figure brought the total amount of prescription drugs collected by the DEA to 11,816,393 pounds since the Take Back Day program began in the fall of 2010.
On Saturday, for the first time, vaping devices and cartridges will also be accepted as part of the National Take Back Day initiative. However, devices containing lithium ion batteries cannot be taken back, so make sure to remove any batteries if you are trying to dispose of any vaping devices.
During National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, official prescription drop-off locations are provided in communities all over the country. There are also authorized permanent drug collection locations that can typically be found in local pharmacies, hospitals, and certain law enforcement offices. You can click here to see the full list of nearby drug disposal locations.
At Family Practice Center we are proud to participate in this year’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. We feel this initiative can help our patients keep themselves and their loved ones healthy by preventing the potential for prescription drug abuse in the home. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our healthcare providers, please contact Family Practice Center today. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional news, health tips, and much more.