The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) announced its support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative yesterday.
APhA supports the efforts of the initiative in educating consumers on ways to safely dispose of prescription drugs.
This year's drug take back event will be held on Saturday,
April 30. The public is asked to clean out medicine cabinets and dispose of
unused prescription drugs at local disposal sites.
“If the public were more aware of disposal options and the
risks associated with storing medicine, individuals would be more likely to
dispose of their drugs,” APhA Associate Director of Health Policy Jenna
Ventresca said.
The initiative was started by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a response to the problem of prescription drug abuse. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that approximately 6.5 million Americans abuse controlled prescription drugs, which are mainly obtained from family and friends. One of the ways abusers acquire these drugs is by taking them from the medicine cabinet. While the initiative began as a temporary measure, the DEA's 10 drug take back events have collected 5.5 million pounds of prescription drugs since 2010.
“Combating prescription drug abuse is proving to be an ongoing effort that demands broad stakeholder participation and multifaceted approaches,” Ventresca said.
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