Saturday, April 22nd, is DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high.  More Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an important part of DEA’s efforts to fight the overdose epidemic and save lives,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “I encourage everyone across the country to dispose of unneeded medications throughout the year to help keep our communities safe and healthy.”

Take Back Day events provide easy, no-cost opportunities to dispose of medicines stored in the home that are susceptible to abuse and theft. There are also many permanent drug-drop boxes located in communities across the country. 

While there were no specific drug take back events being held in Wendover or West Wendover on Saturday, there are two drug drop boxes in the community. The Wendover Prevention Group, a community coalition which works to prevent substance misuse, along with the West Wendover Police Department, the Wendover Police Department, West Wendover Public Works, and Smith’s Pharmacy, would like to encourage people to use these drug drop boxes to safely get rid of old prescription medications that are no longer needed. 

There is a drug drop box in front of the Wendover Police Department downstairs at the Wendover, Utah, city offices, and there is also one at the West Wendover Police Department inside West Wendover City Hall.  The drop boxes are accessible 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday (closed on holidays). 

“In recognition of the National Take Back Day, we want to increase public awareness of the drop boxes in our community and encourage people to stop in during the upcoming week and anonymously place their outdated or unused prescription drugs into the drop-box receptacles at either police department,” said Deeanna Croasmun, prevention specialist, with the Wendover Prevention Group.

The drugs are collected under DEA guidance and disposed of in a proper and safe manor, thus eliminating any dangers to you or the public. 

Also, to remind the public, do not flush unused-outdated drugs down drains. Flushing pills down the toilet can be a water quality issue because wastewater treatment plants are not equipped to fully remove pharmaceuticals from the wastewater. Those medications could affect the environment and endanger public health.

Pictured above is Officer Hofer (Wendover Police Department), Denise (Smith’s Pharmacy Tech), Paul Howse (Smith’s Pharmacist), Amber Dehn (West Wendover Public Works), Chief Cal Kunz (West Wendover Police Department), and Deeanna Croasmun (Wendover Prevention Group).