The DEA is sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The DEA is sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where officials were urging community members to safely dispose of any outdated and unusable medication.

Calandra Smith, Assistant Director of Hamilton County Coalition, says, “We do this in April and in October. This is the 24th Annuel DEA National Drug Take Back, so the DEA sponsors this Nationwide. So, we’re doing it in our Hamilton County locations 10am-2pm, at ten different locations here.”

Back in 2013 a study was done, finding that 15% of students in grades seven to twelve reported misusing prescription medications.

Having extra medications at home that lay idle increases the chance of accidental poisoning in young children, and it is best to properly dispose of them as soon as possible.

Between 2001 and 2008, over 450,000 poisoning cases in kids under six were reported, with 95% involving prescription drugs.

Another reason that an individual should safely rid their cabinets of idle opioids, for potential future pain, is because they can lead to addiction—not just for that specific person, but for anyone in your home.

Using leftover antibiotics to self-medicate often does more harm than good, delaying proper treatment and complicating a doctor’s ability to diagnose effectively.

If you missed today’s Take Back event, there will be another one in April.

So, if you have any leftover antibiotics at that time, find the nearest Take Back event location and drop them off there.

In the meantime, don’t forget to safely dispose of any medication that could potentially lead to a tragedy if left discarded and forgotten.