Got Old Drugs to Turn in?

On Oct. 29,  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ladue Pharmacy, the Ladue Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Citizens can bring their medications for disposal to Ladue Pharmacy, 9832 Clayton Rd.  The service is free and anonymous.

 Last April, Americans turned in 376,593 pounds—188 tons—of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners including Ladue Pharmacy. 

“Our last event was a huge success,” said Rick Williams, owner of Ladue Pharmacy.  “We collected expired, dangerous, and unwanted prescriptions from residents from all over the region.  This is such an important event, because the cost of someone ingesting an expired prescription or a prescription that is not intended for them could be fatal.”  Williams and his pharmacists will also be on hand to answer any questions from concerned or interested residents regarding their current prescriptions.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Americans are aware that flushing old prescriptions down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 

Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.

Information was provided by Williams Pharmacy in Ladue.