October 24, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb Prevention Coalition and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation encourage DeKalb County residents to take part in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day today (Saturday, Oct. 24) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Unlike similar events in the past, today’s Take-Back will be drive-by and drop-off only at the Smithville City Hall outside under a tent.
The public will be provided the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. (Sites cannot accept liquids, needles or sharp instruments, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
“Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. That’s dangerous and often tragic. This year due to COVID-19 the Take Back Event will be a little different than before. This year it will be drive-by and drop-off. Drive to the front of the City Hall and a member of the DeKalb Prevention Coalition will take your medication and place it in the collection box. DPC will also provide medication boxes if you need one to lock your medications in at home. We will not be able to accept liquid medication, needles or sharps. We can collect medication in pill and patch form,” said Lisa Cripps of the DeKalb Prevention Coalition.
For more information please email DeKalb Prevention Coalition at dekalbtnprevention@gmail.com or call 615-580-9290.
“This event encourages the proper disposal of prescription drugs, and TDEC is proud to be a part of it,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “We have seen how awareness of this issue has prompted strong participation in the past, and we urge everyone to get involved.”
The October event is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s 19th nationwide event since the program’s inception over 10 years ago. Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 883,000 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. The program has now collected nearly 6,350 tons of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications since the inception of the National Prescription Drug Take-Back initiative in 2010.
To keep everyone safe, collection sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are many other ways to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs every day, including the 355 authorized collectors that are available all year long. For more information about locations in Tennessee, visit http://tdeconline.tn.gov/rxtakeback/.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 24 Take Back Day event, go to http://www.DEATakeBack.com.
For more information about TDEC’s Unwanted Household Pharmaceutical Takeback Program, including a complete list of participating counties and acceptable or non-acceptable items, please visit https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/opsp-policy-and-sustainable-practices/community-programs-and-services/unwanted-household-pharmaceuticals-takeback-program.html.