From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 26, the Federal Way Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring your pills for disposal to Federal Way City Hall at 33328 Eighth Ave. S., Federal Way. Weather permitting, the drop-off site will be located outside for easy drive up access, or it will be conveniently located in the police department lobby.
The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The Drug Enforcement Administration cannot accept liquids or needles or sharp objects, only pills or patches.)
Last September, Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners.
When those results are combined with what was collected in its eight previous take back events, the administration and its partners have taken in over 4.8 million pounds—more than 2,400 tons—of pills and patches. This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, 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, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, secure and environmentally responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse and trafficking of medications.
