Kansans turn in nearly 2 tons of prescription drugs

TOPEKA (November 15, 2011) Kansans turned in 3,809 pounds of
unused prescription drugs during the National Prescription Drug
Take-Back Day on October 29, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt
said today. This was the highest total amount of medications
collected in Kansas since the program began last year. Unused
medications lingering in medicine cabinets have the potential to be
misused, Schmidt said. Kansans took this opportunity to properly
dispose of these medications to make our homes safer. Local law
enforcement officials collected the unused medications at 60
locations throughout the state. The program was sponsored
nationwide by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which collects
and safely destroys the medications. This was the second collection
day scheduled this year. 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 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 traditional methods for
disposing of unused medicines flushing them down the toilet or
throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards
and should be avoided. Unused prescriptions can be turned in
year-round at many local law enforcement locations. Kansans should
contact their local sheriffs office or police department for more
information.