Rid Your Home of Unwanted Drugs
April 28 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and Americans across the country are encouraged to scour their homes and get rid of all unused, expired, and unwanted prescription drugs, before these become a danger to your family and the environment.
Prescription drug take-back events are happening in several areas in America; in Massachusetts, West Virginia, and Rhode Island, there are designated spots that residents can go to and drop off unwanted drugs, so that these can be disposed of properly and safely. The program starts from 10 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, during which time anyone can drop off medicines that have been sitting in medicine cabinets and cupboards, no questions asked.
The event is part of the program set up by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in an effort to ensure that prescription medication does not fall into unauthorized hands and abused. It also ensures that these medicines are properly disposed of, instead of being haphazardly thrown away and polluting the environment.
West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw shared: “This initiative addresses an important public health and safety issue… Medicines left in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse, and abuse.”
There are studies that indicate that in cases of prescription drug abuse, most of the drugs being abused are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet. If anything, the home has become the most convenient and cheapest source of drugs.
Over the past couple of years, nearly 500 tons of drugs have been disposed through these take-back programs.
