Casa Grande, Ariz. — As a free service to the residents of Casa Grande, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are giving the public its 15th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unusedand unwanted prescription drugs. On Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you may dispose your pills at the AZDPS office located at 410 W. Centennial Blvd. in Casa Grande. No liquids, needles, or sharps will be accepted; only pills and patches.
Last fall Americans turned in 912,000 pounds of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and at almost 4,300 of the participating state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 14 previous Take Back events, the DEA and its partners have taken in more than 9 million pounds of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Drugs left in home cabinets can be highly susceptible to misuse, abuse or even theft. 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 usual methods for disposing of unused drugs, such as 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, please visit: www.DEATakeBack.com