April 22 is Drug Take Back Day; a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs at locations in communities throughout the country.
On Drug Take Back Day, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) encourages the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment. Most people who misuse prescription drugs get them from family, friends and acquaintances. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose.
A variety of print and digital resource are available in the DEA Drug Take Back Partnership Toolbox. Health care facilities and community stakeholders are encouraged to utilize these promotional elements to prevent opioid addiction and other adverse drug events. A record amount of prescriptions drugs have been turned in safely and anonymously thanks to the increased awareness of the DEA Take Back effort.
The North Dakota Take Back Program has information on where you can dispose of medication, and has excellent information and resources on statewide and community efforts.- The Avoid Opioid SD website contains valuable testimonials, data, and resources to help prevent opioid misuse and addiction. The site includes Take Back location sites, information on medicine lock boxes and how to receive RX disposal packets.
Drug Take Back Day is an important event that helps keep our communities safe and prevent drug abuse. By properly disposing of unused medications, individuals can make a difference in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Read more about ways to secure medications and safely dispose of them.
Great Plains QIN aims to provide best practices, data, tools and training to support nursing homes and community partners to reduce opioid misuse, adverse drug events and improve Naloxone and Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) uptake. For more information on our efforts and available resources, visit our Pain and Substance Use Disorder Page.