Sen. Carper Calls on Delawareans to Participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) encouraged Delawareans to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The DEA, along with local government, community, public health and law enforcement officials, will be collecting expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for safe disposal at more than 5,100 sites nationwide. The event, which is free and anonymous, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 29 collection sites in Delaware.  
 
“Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse is a rapidly growing problem in the United States, with more Americans using prescription painkillers to get high each day,” said Sen. Carper. “Help put a stop to this dangerous epidemic by ridding your medicine cabinet of expired, unused medication this Saturday during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.”  
 
The first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was held on Sept. 25, 2010, to provide a venue for persons who wanted to dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Americans turned in more than 121 tons of prescription drugs, including 303 pounds at Delaware’s 14 collection sites. This nationwide effort to remove potentially dangerous prescription drugs from medicine cabinets was instrumental in preventing pill abuse and theft.  
 
The National Take Back Initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.  
 
As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security, Sen. Carper has held several hearings and investigations examining the diversion and abuse of controlled substances and other powerful prescription drugs in our nation’s public healthcare system. In 2009, Sen. Carper worked with Gov. Jack Markell to champion the adoption of a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in Delaware, which was passed by an overwhelming majority in the General Assembly and signed into law last year.  
 
For more information on the National Take Back Initiative, please visit: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.
 
A list of collection sites located near in Delaware can be found below or by clicking here:
 
National Take-Back Day Collection Sites
 
New Castle County:
» Christiana Hospital, Parking Lot T, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road
» The former Delaware State Police Troop 1A, 3001 Brandywine Parkway in the Brandywine Town Center
» Frawley Stadium, 801 Shipyard Drive in Wilmington
» Middletown Police Headquarters, 130 Hampden Road in Middletown.
» Newark Senior Center, 200 White Chapel Drive in Newark
» New Castle County Police Headquarters, 3601 N. Du Pont Highway in Minquadale
» New Castle Airport Terminal Building, 151 N. Du Pont Highway near New Castle
» Shipley Manor, 2723 Shipley Road in Brandywine Hundred
» University of Delaware Public Safety Building, 413 Academy St. in Newark
 
Kent County:
» Atlantic Apothecary, 100 S. Main St., No. 104, in Smyrna
» Camden Municipal Complex, 1783 Friends Way in Camden
» Delaware State University, 1200 N. Du Pont Highway in Dover
» Dover Police Department, 400 S. Queen St. in Dover
» Felton Town Hall, 24 E. Sewell St. in Felton
» Harrington Police Department, 10 Mechanic St. in Harrington
» Heritage at Dover, 1203 Walker Road in Dover
 
Sussex County:
» Bridgeville Fire Company, 315 Market St. in Bridgeville
» Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St. in Dagsboro
» Delaware State Police Troop No. 4, 23652 Shortly Road in Georgetown
» Greenwood Police Department, 100 W. Market St. in Greenwood
» Heritage at Milford, 500 S. Du Pont Blvd. in Milford
» Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Drive in Lewes
» Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St. in Milford
» Nanticoke Mears Health Campus, 200 Health Drive in Seaford
» Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave. in Ocean View
» Rehoboth Beach Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave. in Rehoboth Beach
» Selbyville Town Hall, 68 W. Church St. in Selbyville
» Walgreens Pharmacy, 30182 Sussex Highway, Unit No. 1, in Laurel
 
 
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