News On 6 Joins DEA's National Take Back Day Effort

In support of the DEA's National Take Back Day, News On 6 will help you properly dispose of your unwanted prescription drugs.

You can drop your unused or expired prescription drugs off at News On 6 on October 27, 2018, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. News On 6 is located at 303 N. Boston Avenue.

The Drug Enforcement Agency says if you don’t properly dispose of the unused or expired prescription drugs in your home, they might find a new one. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse. 

Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America. 

Most teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends, and the home medicine cabinet. Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Unused drugs that are flushed contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment. 

There will also be Take Back Day events at the following locations (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.):

Reasor’s
71st & Sheridan

Union High School
6636 S. Mingo Rd.

Ellen Ochoa Elementary School
12000 E. 31st St.

Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old drugs. But if a program is not available: 
• Take the meds out of their bottles 
• Mix them with something unappealing like used kitty litter or coffee grounds
• Seal them in a bag or disposable container and throw that away

For more information on prescription drug abuse: 
• https://takebackday.dea.gov/ 
• http://thinksmartok.org 
• www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com 
• www.JustThinkTwice.com