Saturday, April 28, is National Prescription Take-Back Day

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs, and most of these drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, held Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. The day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.

Encourage your residents to take part in this important campaign.

As the opioid/heroin crisis in Pennsylvania and nationwide rages on, this day offers the opportunity for your residents to dispose of their unwanted, unused, and expired prescription medications and keep these drugs out of improper hands.

Since the Drug Enforcement Administration first launched Take-Back Day in 2010, more than 9 million pounds of medicine have been collected from the public.

To learn more or to locate collection sites in your area, go to takebackday.dea.gov. Enter your zip code to find locations near you.