This Saturday, September 27, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and almost 4,000 of its national, tribal, and community law enforcement partners will hold the ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Americans can take their expired, unneeded, or unwanted prescription drugs to one of over 5,200 collection sites across the country between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
The public can find a nearby collection site by visiting www.dea.gov, clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon, and following the links to a database where they enter their zip code. Or they can call 800-882-9539. Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought to the collection sites—liquids and needles or other sharps will not be accepted.
Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused. While the number of Americans who currently abuse prescription drugs dropped in 2013 to 6.5 million from 6.8 million in 2012, that is still more than double the number of those using heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens like LSD and Ecstasy combined, according to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In addition, 22,134 Americans died in 2011 from overdoses of prescription medications, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey of users cited above also found that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Location Drop Off near Edwardsville / Glen Carbon IL
1. MADISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE MADISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
ADMINISTRATIVE BLDG PARKING LOT 157 N MAIN STREET EDWARDSVILLE IL
2. GLEN CARBON POLICE DEPARTMENT VILLAGE OF GLEN CARBON POLICE DEPT
PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF VILLAGE HALL 151 N MAIN STREET GLEN CARBON IL,
3. MARYVILLE POLICE DEPT. MARYVILLE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING 300 EAST DIVISION STREET MARYVILLE IL, 62062 10 mi. Map
MARYVILLE POLICE DEPT. MARYVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
PARKING LOT 2500 N. CENTER ST. MARYVILLE IL,
4. BETHALTO POLICE DEPT. BETHALTO POLICE DEPT 213 N PRAIRIE STREET BETHALTO IL
Collection Connection Edwardsville 