Saturday, October 23rd marks the DEA’s 21st National Take-Back Initiative. This prescription drug take-back event is coordinated by the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Public Safety’s Narcotics Enforcement Division, in partnership with the with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies.
National Take-Back Day is to ensure the proper disposal of any unused prescription drugs. Everyone is encouraged to bring their expired or unused prescription medications to collection sites. You do not need to remove the labels or take the pills out of its containers. Simply toss them in a disposable bag and drop them off at the drive-thru locations. This service is free and anonymous – no questions asked. Tablets, capsules, liquids, and other forms of medication will be accepted. Please do not include any syringes, they will not be accepted. Unused or expired medicine should be properly disposed of when no longer needed for which it was prescribed.
Medicines may lose their effectiveness after the expiration date. Improper use of prescription drugs can be dangerous as illegal drug use.
Having unused or expired medicine in your home increases the risk of accidental poisoning. Homes where children or the elderly live are especially vulnerable to this danger.
People may mistake one type of medicine for another; or children may mistake medicine for candy.Expired medicine should not be thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet. Proper disposal helps reduce the risk of prescription drugs entering the human water supply or potentially harming aquatic life. Additional information can be found at www.dea.gov.
For a list of designated collection sites, visit www.ag.hawaii.gov or www.takebackday.dea.gov If you are unable to participate in the National Take Back Initiative, a list of drug take back drop box locations is available at www.hawaiiopioid.org.