GONZALES — This Saturday residents will have the opportunity to clean out medicine cabinets and drawers and bring unused and expired prescription medicines to the 13th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Gonzales Police Department and other law enforcement agencies around the country have set up areas to receive the unwanted or outdated prescription drugs and prepare them for disposal.
On April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gonzales residents can drop off these items at the Gonzales Police Department, 109 Fourth St.
The drop off is for Schedule II to V controlled substance medications, over the counter medications, medicated liquids, lotions and creams and veterinary medications. Schedule I controlled substances (illegal street-type drugs), vitamins and dietary supplements, needles or sharps containers will not be accepted.
The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
Dee Acosta, South County prevention coordinator for Sun Street Centers, will be on hand to help Interim Chief of Police Keith Wise and the Gonzales Police Department at the Gonzales event. There, she will pass out information about Sun Street’s services.
“Prescription drug abuse is still the No. 1 killer of young adults 25 and younger,” Acosta said. “Getting unused prescription drugs out of the house, it takes the temptation away.”
Acosta added, “This is our sixth year in partnering with the community of Gonzales, twice a year. Ninety-one people a day in the United States die an opiates related death. We have to get these drugs off the streets.”
Last September Gonzales Police Department collected over 100 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs. Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners.
When those results are combined with what was collected in its 12 previous Take-Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.8 million pounds, more than 2,400 tons, of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.
Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 29 Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event, go to dea.gov or dontrushtoflush.org.
