A group of different organizations have come together to sponsor National Prescription Take-Back Day in Northeast Louisiana this Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 am - 2 pm. Everyone is encouraged to bring their outdated perscription drugs, especially narcotics, in order to properly dispose of them.
The drop-off sites include: Super 1 Foods - Bastrop, Ruston, Monroe, and West Monroe; Brookshire's - Monroe, West Monroe, and Farmerville; and La. State Police, Troop F - Monroe.
Organizations involved are the Children's Coalition, DEA, ULM's Pharmacy School, the North Delta Highway Safety Partnership, Brookshire's & Super 1's pharmacies, and more.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. and more than six million Americans, age 12 and above, will misuse a prescription drug in a month. The National Prescription Take-Back Day is an initiative that seeks to collect the unused/expired medicine that could possibly be abused to fight this trend.
This weekend, the designated locations will accept most unused/old/unwanted prescription medicines with no questions asked, but aerosols, needles and, and syringes will be turned away.
The take-back program has been going on for 18 years in the U.S., but started in 2010 for NELA. Each year seems to get worse and worse. Darryl Callan, a long-time volunteer for Take-Back Day, says, "Last year, we collected over 7,000 lbs. of drugs in the Louisiana by itself, not to mention the 12,000 lbs. in Arkansas."
National Drug Take-Back Day is not the only time citizens can turn in their unused medicine. The Ouachita Parish Sherrif's Office maintains a "Drug Take Back Box" that is available to the public 24/7. This box is located at the Ouachita Parish Courthouse Annex.
For more information about National Prescription Take-Back Day, click here or call Mary Barrios at (318) 323-8775.