Reed urges RIers to safely discard unused Rx drugs at drug take-back sites this Saturday

Statement

As communities across the country struggle with prescription drug abuse and opioid addiction, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is encouraging Rhode Islanders to take advantage of the upcoming National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and discard unwanted pain killers and other prescription drugs at participating locations. Almost 40 Rhode Island locations are participating in this semi-annual event, which was started by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2010 to help educate the public about the potential for prescription drug abuse and provide an opportunity for safe disposal of expired, unused, or unwanted medications, including narcotic painkillers and other opioids.

The drop box service is free and anonymous, with no personal information collected and no questions asked. A list of participating law enforcement and community partners across the state may be found at: https://takebackday.dea.gov

"This is an effective public health and public safety program that makes it more convenient for people to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs and save lives. Each item taken out of a medicine cabinet reduces the number of medications being misused or stolen. Additionally, the program helps stop dangerous chemicals and pharmaceuticals from getting into our water supply," said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the DEA.

At the last National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in April, Americans turned in over 468 tons (937,443 pounds) of prescription drugs at 6,258 collection sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,969 of its state and local law enforcement partners. The DEA said it has collected a total of more than 11 million pounds, almost 6,000 tons, of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications since the program began.

This year's event marks the first time the program is accepting vaping products, such as devices and cartridges, in an effort to work with federal partners to combat an emerging public health threat, particularly to the nation's youth. The DEA points out that it cannot accept devices containing lithium ion batteries and encourages individuals to remove the batteries from the devices before turning them in.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also offers a free Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator (a confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States) to find resources in your area: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

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