profession
DEA accepts 276 tons of unused meds, seeks more
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 17, 2012
Americans gave back more than a half-million pounds, or 276 tons, of unused or expired medications at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in late April. The haul was made possible by 4,268 local and state agencies that organized 5,659 sites nationwide, the DEA said.
Unused or improperly disposed of medications such as opioids can pose a tempting target for people who use the drugs for nonmedical purposes. Such misuse can be deadly, with prescription drugs involved in nearly 40,000 overdose deaths in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Another drug give-back day is set for Sept. 29. A searchable directory of take-back sites is available at a DEA website (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/09/17/prbf0917.htm.
