April 2014 – National Pill Take Back Initiatives are offered twice a year by local law enforcement agencies in partnership with the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, in order to make prescription drugs less accessible to youth and others who may misuse them. These events provide community members with a safe place to drop off their unused, unwanted and/or expired prescription medications.
• 4.5 million American kids have reported that they’ve abused prescription drugs;
• Every day, 2,500 kids, aged 12 to 17, abuse a pain reliever for the first time;
• Prescription Drugs are the second most-abused category of drugs after marijuana;
• 70% of people abusing prescription pain relievers get them from friends or relatives.
So far, seven law enforcement agencies are signed up for April’s event in Oneida County, New York, including: Oneida County Sheriff’s Department, Utica Police Department, Rome Police Department, New Hartford Police Department, Whitestown Police Department, Kirkland Police Department and the Oneida Indian Nation.
For an up-to-date list of drop off sites, please visit: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takback/index/html.
In 2012, and again in 2013, Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. received funds from the United Way of Rome and Western Oneida County, Inc. to support the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in Oneida County, New York. Last year, in September alone, Oneida County, New York collected 550.8 pounds of unused, unwanted and/or expired prescription drugs.
For more information on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days, contact Samantha Madderom, Prevention, Advocacy and Training Specialist for CFLR, Inc., at 315-768-2677 or smadderom@cflrinc.org.
