FREE EVENT to TAKE BACK UNWANTED MEDICINES
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is sponsoring a National Pharmaceuticals Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. at Mercer Island City Hall. This one day event takes place at sites that are staffed by participating local law enforcement officials. It’s a great opportunity for our community to clean out their medicine cabinets and properly dispose of unwanted medicines, including controlled substances.
Why take unused medicines to this event?
· Unused medicines are a danger to our children, families and the environment.
· Washington State has one of the highest teen prescription drug abuse rates in the nation.
· Medicine poisoning among children and seniors is increasing.
· Medicines that are flushed or put in the trash can end up in our surface waters, groundwater and drinking water - exposing our families and hurting our environment.
The DEA has posted promotional materials for this event online at: http://www.nationaltakebackday.com/toolbox/index.php . We encourage your organization to get the word out about this great opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted medicines at this free event. Thank you!
Unfortunately, these programs do not have a sustainable source of funding and are not a permanent solution. To learn more about the problem and why Washington needs a permanent take-back program visitwww.TakeBackYourMeds.org
