DEA Sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Event
The Drug Enforcement Administration is sponsoring another take back day for prescription drugs that are expired or no longer needed. During the last event in April they were open for four hours and collected over 188 tons of leftover drugs from across the country.
By all accounts, the program has been an enormous success so far in properly disposing of unneeded drugs and removing them from homes. This is an important undertaking since prescription drug misuse is America's most rapidly growing drug problem and is considered a public health pandemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to York Daily Record. In 2007 alone, 42 percent of all accidental overdose drug deaths were caused by prescription drugs. Prescription drug-related deaths are now outnumbering all vehicle-related deaths.
There is no doubt that today's prescription drugs are prolonging life and helping to manage illnesses but because they are legal, many do not realize they can become addicted or dependent on them. A major difference between abuse of prescription drugs and illicit drugs are how and where they are acquired. Sometimes these drugs can come from homes of family, co-workers, friends or even your own.
We need to better educate our youth and parents on the dangers of prescription drug abuse and misuse. Taking prescriptions for non-medical or recreational purposes can end up being fatal and can lead to dangerous consequences. As adults, we need to make sure our medicines are properly stored and under our control at all times and then properly disposed of.
The abuse of medicines can be overwhelming to our communities, families and schools. Do not underestimate prescription drug dangers, as quickly it can become too late to save a life.
