It’s time once again to clean out the medicine cabinets.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s semiannual initiative to prevent expired or unwanted prescription drugs from falling into the wrong hands is slated for Saturday and there will be a drop-off location in the State College area.
In conjunction with police departments in Pennsylvania, including several agencies in Centre County, the DEA will collect unwanted or expired prescription drugs as part of its National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
In conjunction with Ferguson Township police, area residents can hand over unwanted or expired prescription drugs anonymously between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Giant Pharmacy at 255 Northland Center.
Ridding medicine cabinets of unneeded drugs reduces the risk the drugs will fall into the wrong hands through theft or burglary.
This event sponsored by the DEA will likely be the last of its kind due to a new rule that allows patients to transfer their drugs to authorized collectors. The law also allows long-term care facilities to do the same on behalf of residents or former residents of their facilities.
“These new regulations will expand the public’s options to safely and responsibly dispose of unused or unwanted medications,” DEA Administrator Leonhart said in a recent prepared statement. “The new rules will allow for around-the-clock, simple solutions to this ongoing problem. Now everyone can easily play a part in reducing the availability of these potentially dangerous drugs.”
The DEA began hosting National Prescription Drug Take-Back events in September 2010. Since then, the DEA has sponsored eight take-back days resulting in the collection of more than 4.1 million pounds of medication at over 6,000 sites manned by law enforcement partners.
Following Saturday’s event, the DEA has no plans to sponsor more nationwide Take-Back Days as the agency expects authorized collectors to step in to provide the service under the new federal rule.
The number of Americans who abuse prescription drugs is greater than the number of those who use cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin combined, according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Law enforcement experts say prescription drug abuse is also a growing trend among children with one in every three new prescription drug abusers being between 12 to 17. And experts say those who abuse prescription drugs ultimately switch to common street drugs, such as heroin, because they are cheaper.
Turning the drugs over to the DEA ensures the pills are disposed of properly, officials say. The DEA has cautioned residents against simply flushing the drugs down the toilet as they could contaminate drinking water.
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