Not sure what do to with your expired and unused medications? National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, April 27. It’s the perfect time to clean out your medicine cabinet and safely dispose old or unneeded medications.
Independence Blue Cross supports the nationwide effort to clear homes of expired, unused, unwanted, and potentially dangerous prescription drugs during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. There are over 100 drop off locations in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Prevention plays an important role in combatting opioid addiction. Prohibiting unauthorized or illegal access to prescription opioids is a strong first step. Children and teens who first abuse prescription drugs often obtain them from the home medicine cabinets of family or friends who do not properly dispose of unused or outdated medication, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
According to the PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, since 2015, more than 145,000 pounds of prescription drugs have been collected and properly destroyed as part of Drug Take-Back Day.