The Drug Enforcement Administration has announced that on Saturday, from 10am to 2pm, the “National Take-Back Day” will be held in an effort to remove unused and unwanted pharmaceutical controlled substances that can led to a source of supply for illegal consumption.

Because they represent a risk to children, to public health and safety, several cities and counties will be participating in the 10th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in five years. The initiative’s main objective is to bring awareness and national focus on the prescription drug’s abuse.

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Medicines at home are known to be a leading cause of accidental poisoning. While trashed medicines can end up polluting the water. Credit: psychologytoday

The procedure will be very easy. People will just go to all “Drug Take Back” events held in certain locations and drop off their pills and medications, in bottles, backs, or other disposable containers. All of them will be later destroyed using a drug incinerator equipment.

The Drug Enforcement Administration estimated that last September, Americans turned in 309 tons of pharmaceutical controlled substances at nearly 5,500 locations operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. In total, after five years of work, more than 2,400 tons of pills have been recollected.

People who have abused from these drugs have suffered from vomiting, anxiety, agitation, irritability, seizures, hallucinations, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. Several have ended up in the hospital emergency rooms with organ damage, others have not been that lucky and died.

For more information to where you can contribute to this cause, go to the DEA’s website.

Source: DEA