Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)
National Medication Take Back Day is being observed on Saturday, April 30th from 10a.m. to 2 p.m. at many police departments, universities and hospitals across America. This one-day event, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), provides a venue for people to safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs.
Red Lake community members are encouraged to participate. This is convenient and environmentally safe way for community members to clean out their medicine cabinets of unwanted and outdated medications. The site for the medication take back program will be at the main entrance Red Lake Hospital.
Many people are not aware that medicines left are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse, according to the DEA. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free American. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.
Another advantage of this program is it discourages people from flushing drugs down their toilets. Drugs improperly disposed of wind up in rivers and lakes where they harm fish life and contaminate water supply, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage medications, i.e., tablets and capsules are accepted. Intra-venous solutions, injectables and needles will not be accepted. Illicit substance such as marijuana or methamphetamine is not a part of this program.
The first National Medication Take Back Day was held, September 25, 2010. This effort was a “huge success”, with approximately 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the nation participating. According to the DEA, the American public turned in more than 121 tons of pills that day.
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