April 28th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day!
Did you know this Saturday, April 28th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day?Whether you live alone or with a large family, it’s important to be sure that you properly dispose of any prescription medications that remain unused in your medicine cabinet. No matter the reason that we may have extra medication, we must take steps to ensure they are not lost, stolen, or misused by those around us. Plus, it’s important to properly dispose of medicines in a safe way that does not negatively impact the environment!For National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offers a range of resources advising us on best disposal techniques at TakeBackDay.dea.gov. There you can find information on drug scheduling (the labeling of a drug based on its potential for abuse), a drug database, and even a handy tool where you can provide your address for information on the nearest collection center where you live. Google also teamed up with the DEA to put together a convenient map of all the collection sites to help you find spots near you. On the most recent National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in October, there were more than 5,000 collection sites that managed to collect and properly dispose of over 900,000 pounds of medications, or 456 tons!Of course, proper medication disposal cannot be limited to just a couple of days a year, so if you find yourself unable to make it to the nearest collection center Saturday, you can always make use of the DEA Diversion Control Division’s search tool to find public disposal locations year-round.Remember, appropriate handling of medication is crucial and proper disposal can save lives, so take a look inside your medicine cabinet this Saturday for any prescription medications that require disposal. Be sure to keep us updated with how you spend National Prescription Drug Take Back Day over Facebook and Twitter!