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DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, HOUSTON FIELD OFFICE, HEADS FIRST EVER CITYWIDE AND NATIONWIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK CAMPAIGN
September 25, 2010 - The Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston Field Office, local city officials, community members, public health, local coalitions and law enforcement partners today announced a city and nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased prescription drug misuse, abuse and theft. The DEA Houston Field Office and community partners will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites around the greater Houston, TX area on, Saturday, September 25th from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.
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This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. 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. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. 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.
“The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Campaign will afford the greater metro Houston area and surrounding communities the ability to safely dispose of potentially dangerous prescription drugs from their homes,” said Thomas E. Hinojosa, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Houston DEA Field Division. He adds “Prescription Drugs are being abused in our nation at epidemic levels to where 1 in 7 teens admits to abusing prescription drugs in the past year”.
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