Encourage your patients to dispose of unused medications at National Take-Back Event

Thursday, October 17, 2013 01:27 PM

The abuse of prescription drugs is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States and a January 2013 survey found that Colorado has the second-highest rate of prescription drug abuse in the nation. Some diversion and abuse comes after family or friends pillage medicine cabinets for excess medications.

Physicians can help prevent prescription drug abuse by encouraging their patients to appropriately dispose of expired or unwanted medications on Oct. 26, the next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) website to learn more about National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The site features a search function to help locate collection sites and drug disposal information for patients. The event lasts from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Click here to download a fact sheet about prescription drug abuse in Colorado. Click here to download a flyer in English to post in your office and click here to download the Spanish version.