The Ellis County Press: National Take-Back Day

National Take-Back Day
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Tony Martinez on 09/22/2010 09:05:00


Dear friends,
As you know, prescription drug abuse is a significant public health issue in our
country. Because they are legal, prescription drugs are easily accessible and
often kept in home medicine cabinets long after they are needed, making them
readily available to people who might misuse or abuse them. A recent study found
that people who reported nonmedical use of prescription drugs within the past
year, 70% got them the most recent time they used from a friend or relative.
One way to reduce the accessibility of prescription drugs is to properly dispose
of them in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Take-Back programs are
one of the best ways to ensure this proper disposal, and from 10 am to 2 pm on
Sept. 25, 2010, the Drug Enforcement Administration, joined by ONDCP and others,
will hold prescription drug "Take-Back" events across the country. At these
events, DEA and local partners will collect potentially dangerous expired,
unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction. The service is free and
anonymous, no questions asked.
We are asking for your help to promote this very important event. DEA has
created a web button (see below) that can be placed on your website, and by
placing the button on your website you will ensure that your stakeholders will
be able to find local sites where they can drop off their prescription drugs. By
making the take-back event being held on National Take-Back Day a success, we
can all make a positive impact to reduce drug use and its consequences.
Tony Martinez
Associate Director
Office of Intergovernmental and Public Liaison
Executive Office of the President
To view ONDCP Director Kerlikowske's blog post on National Take-Back Day go to
the following link.
ONDCP seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively
leading the Nation's effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.