WASHINGTON – With families encouraged to stay at home due to
the nationwide health crisis, the Drug Enforcement Administration is asking
Americans to keep prescription medications safe and secure until they can
properly dispose of them.
The Secure Your Meds awareness campaign addresses a vital
public safety and health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are
highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. The campaign also prompts
families to discuss the issue of controlled prescription drug abuse.
“Protecting the health and safety of our communities is
DEA’s top priority, especially during the unprecedented public health
emergency,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “With Americans at home,
families need to be even more vigilant and keep prescription medications safe,
secure, and out of reach of children and others in the household.”
DEA holds its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day twice
a year. However, because of the current nationwide coronavirus pandemic, DEA
postponed the 2020 Spring Take Back Day, originally scheduled for April 25,
2020. DEA will reschedule Take Back day for a date shortly after the health
crisis recedes and national emergency guidelines are lifted.
In the meantime, DEA wants to remind Americans to clean out
their medicine cabinets and secure unused, unwanted, and expired prescription
medications for the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, on a date to
be determined.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are
alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due
to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are
obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifts
restrictions, DEA will reschedule Take Back Day. More information on the Secure
Your Meds campaign and Take Back Day is available at www.DEATakeBack.com.
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