October 24, 2024
Have you or your plan members ever wondered how to dispose of unwanted, unused or out of date medications? Twice a year, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hosts Drug Take Back Day. This is the perfect opportunity to properly dispose of medications that are no longer needed. Here’s what you need to know.
When is Drug Take Back Day and how does it work?
The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 26, 2024. It runs from 10am-2pm local time at locations nationwide. There are over 4,800 collection sites across the nation. To find a location near you, simply head to the DEA’s official collection site locator.
Then, simply take your unused prescriptions to the collection sites during the take back timeframe.
What is the purpose of Drug Take Back Day?
The drug overdose pandemic is a public health, safety and security threat in America. This day is one of the measures of the DEA’s commitment to remove unneeded medications from the public in order to improve Americans’ safety and health. Removing medications decreases the potential for harm and helps to reduce further drug related violence.
In 2024 to date, the DEA has collected 670,136 pounds of prescriptions – over 335 tons! Since the inception of the program, over 18.5 million pounds of unused drugs have been safely disposed of.
Encourage your plan members to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day on the October 26, 2024. If you have any questions or need additional information on the proper handling and disposal of drugs, feel free to reach out to one of our pharmacists via the link below.
