Hundreds of Americans Taking Back Their Prescription Drugs

September 29 was the fifth National Prescription Take Back-Day. This event has hundreds of collection sites across the country, and has accounted for 1.5 million of prescription drugs being taken back.

Even though National Prescription Take Back-Day has just passed, I think this event sparks a great conversation, and a great opportunity to educate ourselves.

So, let's take a minute and look at some information surrounding National Prescription Take Back-Day.

The Problem

So is there really a need for a nationwide Prescription Take Back-Day? You bet there is. There have been many studies done on the problems and effects of prescription drug abuse. Those studies have found that "more than 52 million Americans have abused prescription drugs at least once during their lifetimes." In 2008, over 20,000 lives were lost in the U.S. due to prescription drug abuse.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy considers prescription drug abuse one of our greatest problems. They have said that, "In recent years, we've seen that prescription drug abuse constitutes one of the greatest public safety and public health epidemics of our time, inflicting devastating, long-term, effects on individuals – and destroying families, neighborhoods, and entire communities – all across the country."

Purpose

Prescription drug abuse has very quickly become one of the most common forms of drug abuse and addiction in our country. National Prescription Take Back-Day was created as a way to try to combat that. It gives citizens a way to properly dispose of their unneeded prescription medications. This collection comes at no cost to the participants, and with no questions asked. It is just a way for people to easily get rid of the prescriptions that they no longer want or need.

By providing people with an easy and structured way to dispose of their prescriptions, they are hoping to get less of these drugs off the streets. It also works as a way to educate people on the severity of the problem of prescription drug abuse in our country, and the importance of properly disposing of their unused prescriptions. It also serves as a reminder to dispose of them properly. By getting these prescriptions out of people's homes, the hope is that they can reduce the supply for prescription drug abuse.

What We Can Do

Yes, National Prescription Take Back-Day has already passed. But that doesn't mean that there is nothing you can do until the next one comes around! You don't have to wait for another National Prescription Take Back-Day. Over half of individuals who abuse prescription painkillers aren't buying them from dealers. They are getting them from their friends and family members. So, do your part to work to prevent this from happening with you and those around you.

Learn how to properly dispose of your unneeded prescriptions. Never share your prescriptions with others. Pay attention to the prescriptions you have in your home: make sure that you are monitoring their amounts, and that none are missing. When you are finished with a prescription of yours, make sure to properly dispose of any leftovers. And educate yourself and your children on the harms of prescription drug abuse. If we all do our part, hopefully we can work to better fight this growing epidemic in our country.