Area Prescription Drug Take Back Day set for Saturday

This Saturday the city of Rochester along with surrounding cities and towns will give the public its 15th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rochester, Milton, Dover and Sanford, Maine, police among many others department - and in conjunction with the DEA - will host another Prescription Drug Take Back Day to allow the free, no-questions asked, no hassle, confidential drop-offs.

Rochester's event is being done in cooperation with Bridging the Gaps Prevention Coalition and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The public is urged to bring expired, unwanted pills for disposal to the Rochester Police Department at 23 Wakefield St., to Milton Police on Townhouse Road, Dover Police at 46 Chestnut Street or Sanford (Maine) Police at 935 Main St.

Keep in mind that the dropoff points cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.

Last fall Americans turned in 456 tons (912,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,300 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 14 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 9 million pounds - more than 4,500 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--both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.