By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
WASHINGTON — Prescription drugs stored in medicine cabinets and in kitchens and bedrooms may not be as innocent as they appear.
With that in mind, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, along with government, community, public health and law enforcement partners, plan next month to launch a “Take-Back” initiative “that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft.”
The DEA said it will collect potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites nationwide on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs,” the DEA said in a press release.
“Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet,” the release said.
Michele M. Leonhart, Acting Administrator of DEA said in a statement: “This effort symbolizes DEA’s commitment to halting the disturbing rise in addiction caused by their misuse and abuse.”
