DEA Holds 'Take Back' Day Saturday

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration will hold a Prescription Drug Take Back day April 30, from 10 a.m., to 2 p.m., to get old and unused prescriptions out of residents’ homes and out of the reach of teenagers and other potential substance abusers.

This is the second year in a row the DEA, in coordination with local public safety agencies, has sponsored a Take Back day nationwide.

There are dozens of communities across the state taking part in the effort. Area locations are: 

• East Hampton Police Department
• Route 154 Commuter Parking Lot, Essex
• Killingworth Town Hall, Route 81
• Westbrook Senior Center
• Middletown Police Department
• Durham and Middlefield Troopers Office, 24 Town House Road, Durham
• Berlin Police Department
• Clinton Police Department
• Cromwell Police Department

Under the program, the DEA collects unused, unwanted and often expired dangerous prescription drugs and destroys them. Agency officials say the event is free and the drugs can be handed over anonymously, no questions asked.

Last year the agency collected some 12 tons of unwanted prescriptions in New England alone during the first event. Nationwide, over 242,000 pounds of unwanted prescriptions were collected and destroyed.

The program takes particular aim at trying to limit prescription drug access to teenagers. Many teens’ first drug experience is with unused, and often forgotten, prescriptions in their parents’ medicine cabinet, DEA officials said.

“Take advantage of this program and rid your home of these potential poisons,” said DEA special agent Steven W. Derr, who is in charge of the DEA in New England.

Statistics issued by Derr’s office indicate that:

 In 2009 there were seven million Americans age 12 and older who abused prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons – more than those who abuse cocaine, heroin and other illegal drugs.

On average, nearly 6,000 people daily in 2008 abused prescription pain pills for the first time.

Every day, on average, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high.

Some 56 percent of teens believe prescription drugs are easier to get than illicit ones.

Two in five teens believe prescription drugs are safer than illicit ones.

Sixty-three percent of teens believe prescription drugs are easy to get from their or their friends’ home medicine cabinets.