Dispose of prescriptions safely
National Drug Take Back Day, which takes place this year on April 28, is an opportunity to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs and expired medications.
In Kalispell, the Flathead Valley Community Drug Task Force is hosting a collection site on the Kalispell Regional Medical Center campus at The Rock Medical Office Building, 350 Heritage Way (get directions). The site will be open on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with drive-up service available.
Bring your pills and patches for disposal (no liquids, needles or sharps). The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Why a Drug Take Back Day?
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.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen 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.