The Drug Enforcement Administration will have its nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back initiative Saturday.
The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs.
Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment. This program is for liquid and pill medications. Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be taken. Needles will not be accepted for disposal. This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.
Indiana State Police posts in Bloomington, 1500 Packinghouse Road, and Indianapolis, 8620 E. 21st St., Indianapolis, will be accepting unused or expired prescription medication this Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Likewise, drugs may be dropped off at North Vernon Fire Department, 2000 N. Madison Avenue. Other participating locations are listed deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Unused or expired medication in home cabinets is highly susceptible to theft, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
