Drug Demand Reduction Program taking back prescription drugs

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, the Drug Demand Reduction Program and the Ramstein Pharmacy will give the KMC an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. 

Bring medications for disposal to the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. 

Educational material will also be presented by the health and wellness center, adolescent substance abuse counseling service, as well as alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment.

Last April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds — 276 tons — of prescription drugs at more than 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners.

In its four previous “Take Back” events, the DEA and its partners took in more than 1.5 million pounds of pills.

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 —
pose potential safety and health hazards.

If you are unable to attend this event, but are interested in disposing of your unused or expired medications, there are drop-off locations at the
Ramstein Clinic Pharmacy during normal duty hours: from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or in the Outpatient Pharmacy at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Additional information about the effects of drug use, proper disposal of medications, and drug prevention information for young adults and
parents can be found online at www.justice.gov/dea.

(Courtesy of Drug Demand Reduction Office)