This Saturday, the Drug Enforcement Administration will be sponsoring their 20^th nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative.

The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs.

Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.

This initiative addresses a vital public health issue as medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses are due to expired drugs.

In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—pose potential safety, health, and environmental hazards.

To find out more about what prescription drugs are accepted, and to find a location near you, please visit the Drug Take Back initiative website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html