Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet: Oct. 26 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

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GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.-- --  
As part of National Drug Take-Back Day, the Grand Forks Air Force Base pharmacy is teaming up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to provide a safe means of disposing medications on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the lobby of the Exchange on base.

Take-Back Day collection sites give TRICARE beneficiaries an easy way to safely dispose of excess prescription drugs that might otherwise be to misused or abused, or cause environmental contamination.

Only over the counter prescription medications will be accepted, no illicit substances will be handled. This day will help to make sure these left-over or expired drugs are not misused by family members or visitors in your home. If you cannot make it to the Base Exchange, there is a drop box in the Grand Forks Police Department for such items. No syringes or needles should be deposited in the box.

According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number of those who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin and inhalants combined. The same study revealed more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers got them through friends or relatives, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet.

The DEA take back program addresses these vital public safety and health issues. During the Take-Back Day in April 2013, more than 742,000 pounds (371 tons) of unneeded prescription medications were collected at more than 5,800 locations. The last six DEA Take-Back days have collected more than 2.8 million pounds of prescription medications and removed them from circulation.

Prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage medications, i.e., tablets and capsules are accepted. Intra-venous solutions, injectable medications and needles will not be accepted. Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this program.

To find a collection site click the "Locate collection sites" link atwww.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback. Many military installations participate in this event, including Fort Hood, Texas; Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.; the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and Fort Benning, Ga.

(Article from Tricare.mil contributed to this story)