Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge, A.J. Collazo and U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert on Wednesday announced an upcoming prescription take-back event, scheduled for April 27 on St. Croix and St. Thomas.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses a serious public safety and public health issue which impacts communities throughout the United States, the release said.
Now in its ninth year, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events continue to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they could be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens, according to the release. The DEA’s Take-Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. Take-Back Day also provides for an effective way to dispose of prescription drugs without harm to the environment.
According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans have misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take-Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. Take-Back Day also provides for an effective way to dispose of prescription drugs without harm to the environment.
Helping people to dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce the addiction and overdose deaths plaguing this country due to opioid medications. “We are proud to join efforts with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day”, said SAC Collazo. “We are certain that this 17th edition of the National Take Back Day will be a success in the Virgin Islands, as was the previous event on October 27, 2018.” The October 2018 DEA Take-Back Day in the USVI collected a record amount of prescription drugs and DEA is hoping for similar results with the April 27th Take-Back Day.
“Studies show that unused and left-over prescription drugs are oftentimes misused and abused bychildren and other family members”, said U.S. Attorney Shappert. “Removing these items from the home takes away the possibility of accidental use and possible abuse. The DEA Take-Back Program also ensures that prescription drugs are disposed of responsibly, and that they do not harm the environment.”
Persons wishing to dispose of unused prescription drugs on St. Croix can take those prescriptions to the Gallows Bay, Kingshill, and Frederiksted Post Offices between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th. For disposal of unused prescriptions on St. Thomas, persons may take them to the Frenchtown and Sugar Estates Post Offices, also on Saturday, April 27th, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
For more information on National Take-Back Day, please contact 1-800-882-9539, 571-362-4700 or visit https://takebackday.dea.gov/ or https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.
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