NATIONAL TAKE BACK INITIATIVE by the DEA



In Your Local Community from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has scheduled another National 
Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, from
 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to provide a venue for persons who want to dispose
of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

National Prescription Drug
Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.
 More than 7 million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs,
according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day,
 approximately 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the
 first time, according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America.
 Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained
from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet. Drug
 disposal is an acute human health concern (e.g., poisonings for
 children, teens and pets).

 The fact that drugs accumulate and require disposal illustrates problems 
in the way health care is administered. A major objective should be the 
design of prescribing practices that avoid the accumulation of leftover 
drugs. Leftover drugs represent wasted medical care resources and
 suboptimal therapeutic outcomes.

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

EPA Guidance on Safe Disposal
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/ppcp/upload/ppcpflyer.pdf

FDA Consumer Guidance on How to Dispose of Medicines Properly
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf

Presentations at the annual Conference of the National Association of
 Area Agencies on Aging


http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/epareports.htm#presentationsatannualconferences








Kathy Sykes, Senior Advisor, Aging Initiative 
Office of Public Engagement 
U.S. EPA (Mail Code 1702A)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
 Room 2502 Ariel Rios North
Washington, D.C. 20460


(202) 564-3651

FAX (202) 501-1770

www.epa.gov/aging