Do you have unused prescription drugs? Saturday is the national day for drug recovery

FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) – It's now a twice-a-year ritual: One day Americans who have unused prescription drugs can safely dispose of it as part of National Recovery Day. drugs.

Saturday, October 27 is the last day of recovery, according to the program's sponsor, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

From 10 am to 2 pm, Americans can bring in excess drugs – drugs that might otherwise be used by abusers – in designated collection locations across the country. The service is free and anonymous.

"DEA's National Drug Days is an important opportunity for people to use unwanted and potentially addictive drugs without question," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a press release.

"These days of recovery continue to beat records," he said, "with the last [last spring] take nearly 1 million pounds of prescription drugs from our streets. "

According to data from the US National Drug Use and Health Survey, most misused and abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including someone else's medications stolen from the home's medicine cabinet.

In the 15 days of recovery since the program's inception in 2010, Americans have delivered and safely disposed of approximately 5,000 tonnes of prescription drugs, the DEA said.

To find the drop-off point near you, go to the DEA collection site search tool. The agency finds that she can not accept liquids, needles or sharp objects, but only pills and patches.

This biannual event is an opportunity for Americans "in all communities across the country to come together and do their part to combat the opioid crisis – simply by getting rid of unwanted drugs in their medicine cabinets", former director by interim of the DEA. Robert Patterson said in a press release from the agency.

More information

There is more about the crisis of opioid addiction in US centers for disease control and prevention.