Turn in Prescription Drugs in Arcata

Prescription drugs [Image from the FDA]

On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Arcata Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 17th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Bring your pills for disposal to the Arcata Police Department at 736 F Street in the City of Arcata. The Arcata Police Department’s collection site can only accept pills or patches. No liquids, needles or sharps will be accepted. The service is free and anonymous; no questions asked.

Last fall Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds-nearly 5,500 tons-of pills. 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, 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 medicines-flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash-pose environmental, public safety and health hazards.

The City of Arcata is proud to be a part of this nationwide effort to protect the public from harmful prescription medications. The Arcata Police Department also has a Safe Medication Disposal Receptacle in the Police Department lobby that can be utilized by any member of the public throughout the year to dispose of unwanted prescription medications.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 27 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.