DEA Wants Your Surplus Meds

By Charles S. Clark

With abuse of prescription medicines a growing problem, several agencies plan to participate in the second annual nationwide National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, April 30, from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. local time. More than 5,100 sites have joined the effort, says the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is coordinating the effort with White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"I encourage every American to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs," said Gil Kerlikowkse, Director of National Drug Control Policy. "Preventing these readily available and potentially deadly drugs from being diverted and misused is something each and every one of us can do to help reduce the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that is harming so many Americans."

Other federal agencies joining dozens of community and nonprofit groups, according to The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe, include the departments of Health and Human Services, Justice and Transportation.