Residents of the Keystone State are being encouraged to participate in the DEA's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 26. The annual event, aimed at curbing prescription drug misuse, finds backing from various Pennsylvania state departments, including the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).
According to a press release from PAcast, Pennsylvanians have been actively participating in this initiative since 2010. The program offers a secure method for disposing of unused and expired medications, which might otherwise fall into the wrong hands, promoting substance use disorder prevention. In addition to the DEA's Take-Back Day, DDAP has also placed nearly 900 drug take-back boxes across Pennsylvania, available for use all year round.
Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, DDAP Secretary, emphasized the importance of this program in a statement obtained by pacast.com: "Every day is a take-back day in Pennsylvania. In addition to DEA's boxes on April 26, there are nearly 900 DDAP drug take-back boxes available throughout Pennsylvania year-round for residents to use, including at buildings throughout the Shapiro Administration." She also stated that, "Our goal is to get rid of all the expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications in a safe, secure manner. It's one of our strongest substance use disorder prevention efforts."
This initiative is part of broader efforts by the Shapiro Administration to combat the opioid crisis and other forms of substance abuse. Residents looking to safely dispose of their medications can find the nearest drug take-back box by visiting the DDAP website.
