East Bay Prevention Coalitions, Police Departments Participating in Prescription Drug Disposal Day

On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Prevention Coalitions and Police Departments of Bristol, Warren, Barrington and East Providence are participating in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Take Back Day event. This event helps to prevent prescription drug misuse by allowing citizen’s a proper method of disposal to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to any of the police stations within the East Bay community. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of prescription medications.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that remain 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. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their previous 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 27 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com or www.RIprevention.org/east-bay.