AG Zoeller: Drop off unused Rx drugs as part of statewide take-back

Saturday is DEA-sponsored Nat’l Prescription Drug Take Back Day

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is asking all Hoosiers to clean out their medicine cabinets this week and dispose of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications.

Prescription drug take-back locations will be available across the state this Saturday as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Hoosiers can drop off prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at designated locations statewide, including hospitals, police stations, pharmacies and more. Some communities will be hosting take-back sites on Friday to provide additional disposal opportunities. To find a location in your community, click here.

“Our goal is to change the habit of keeping old prescription drugs around the house any longer than they are actually needed,” Zoeller said. “Treating these drugs casually furthers the false impression that prescription medications are safe and contributes to the high rates of prescription drug abuse and addiction. Doing your part to ensure you’re not facilitating any potential abuse and sending a message to your children that these drugs are dangerous can make a real difference.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdoses now surpass car accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death nationwide and in Indiana. More than half of the overdose deaths in Indiana are caused by prescription drugs or heroin.

Zoeller is founder and co-chair of the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force, which was established in 2012 to address this growing epidemic in the Hoosier State. One of the Task Force’s goals is to promote safe medication disposal across the state, and Task Force members have worked with law enforcement and pharmacies on an ongoing basis to establish drug take-backs in local communities. To date, all but four of the 92 Indiana counties have permanent prescription drug take-back sites.

“In a recent study, the CDC reported people who are addicted to prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to be addicted to heroin. The prescription take-back day is an opportunity for people to help reduce the threat,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Greg Westfall. “To prevent potential theft or misuse, take the time to clean out your medicine cabinet of unwanted or unused prescription drugs and dispose of them properly.”

As part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force is partnering with the Indiana State Police to host a drop-off site in downtown Indianapolis on Friday, Sept. 25, at Indiana Government Center North, 100 N. Senate Ave. Prescription medications will be collected from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information is available here. 

The first 60 people to drop off medications will receive a Colts 2014 season highlights DVD, courtesy of the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force. The Task Force and the Colts have teamed up to increase public awareness of prescription drug abuse during the 2015-2016 Colts season. More information on the partnership is available here.

To locate other take-back sites across the state, click here or call the DEA at 1.800.882.9539.

For a list of permanent prescription drug take-back locations, visit www.BitterPill.in.gov and click “Medication Disposal.”

For more information on the Indiana Attorney General’s Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force and resources for the public on preventing Rx abuse, visit www.BitterPill.IN.gov.