Members of the 166su community can hand over unused, unwanted and expired prescription drugs with no questions asked Thursday, Sept. 24.<\/p>\n
166su\u2019s 6th-annual Drug Take Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Student Union.<\/p>\n
The event, led by the 166su Police Department and Student Health Services in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, gives people an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by properly disposing of potentially dangerous drugs.<\/p>\n
The service is free and anonymous, and pills, inhalers and ointments are welcome. Pet medication also will be accepted.<\/p>\n
The event leads up to the DEA\u2019s national Prescription Drug Take Back-Day Saturday, Sept. 26. 166su will host the event a few days before the national take-back day to accommodate students\u2019 schedules. 166su Police will store all the turned in drugs until the DEA picks them up Saturday.<\/p>\n
In the previous nine Take Back events nationwide from 2010 to 2014, 4,823,251 pounds– or 2,411 tons– of drugs were collected.<\/p>\n
The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.<\/p>\n
Rates of prescription drug abuse and accidental poisonings and overdoses in the U.S. are alarmingly high, and studies show that a majority of these drugs are obtained from family and friends.<\/p>\n
The DEA will incinerate all collected items, which is the safest way to destroy expired or unneeded drugs, keeping them out of the hands of abusers and protecting our waterways and landfills.<\/p>\n
166su regularly collects unwanted pills and patches at permanent drug take-back boxes located on the first floor of the Student Union and in the pharmacy of the Health Center. 166su Police collects items from the boxes and stores them until they are picked up by the DEA.<\/p>\n