National Rx Take-Back This Saturday

National Rx Take-Back This Saturday

By Echo Menges

In an effort to keep illegally obtained prescription pills out of the hands of local youth the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Prescription Drug Diversion Program is once again teaming up with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for another Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back.
“Prescription drugs have become the biggest problem of all controlled substances combined.” Said Clark County Sheriff’s Captain Robert Becker.
Last September, at the first National Prescription Drug Take-Back, which was backed by the DEA, 121 tons of prescription drugs were collected throughout the country. They collected over 242,000 pills nationwide.
“The overwhelming public response to the DEA’s first nationwide Take-Back event last fall not only rid homes of potentially harmful prescription drugs, but was an unprecedented opportunity to educate everyone about the growing prescription drug abuse problem.” Said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart. “Studies have shown that, for many, prescription drugs are the very first drugs they abuse and all too often they aren’t the last. That is why we are committed to helping Americans keep their homes safe by ridding their medicine cabinets of expired, unused, and unwanted drugs.”
Saturday April 30, 2011 law enforcement, government, public health agencies and community members across the country will be collecting these unused, unwanted and expired prescription drugs that, according to the DEA’s website, are potentially dangerous if left in the families medicine cabinet.
In Clark County the collection site will be at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in Kahoka on North Lincoln and East Court Streets between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. this Saturday.
To find out more about the DEA’s Prescription Drug Take-Back or to find a collection center nearest you visit the DEA’s web site at www.dea.gov.