After collecting more than 1,700 tons of expired, unwanted prescription medications over the past three-and-a-half years, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and more than 4,200 national, tribal, and community law enforcement partners will hold another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 26. Americans can take their pills (no liquids or needles) to one of over 5,600 collection sites across the country between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

The public has embraced the opportunity these Take-Back Day events provide to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs.

Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they are highly susceptible to accidental ingestion, theft, misuse, and abuse. Almost twice as many Americans (6.8 million) currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined, according to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

And more Americans died in 2010 from overdoses of prescription medications (22,134, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers) than from motor vehicle accidents, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveys of users have found that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

Here are a few drop off locations in the Texarkana area.

  • MILLER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE (Drop Box) 2300 EAST STREET
  • ASHDOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT (745 SOUTH LOCUST STREET)
  • HEMPSTEAD COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER (312 SOUTH WASHINGTON) HOPE, AR.
  • STAMPS CITY COMPLEX (207 E. ANTIGO)

You can find more nearby collection sites by visiting dea.gov. Or call 800-882-9539.


(source:rushPRnews.com)

 

 

 

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