2010 News

September 22, 2010

Commissioners Support DEA National Take-Back Prescription Drug Event to be Conducted Saturday, September 25

On September 25, 2010, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. Collection activities will take place from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. at sites established throughout Bucks County. The National Take-Back Day provides an opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for proper and safe destruction. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and pose a risk to public health and safety when misused.

In Bucks County, Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities has joined forces with the Bucks County Commissioners, the Department of Health, Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc., Bucks County Area Agency on Aging, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and Bucks County Detectives, working with local law enforcement to provide more than 20 drop-off locations for prescription and over-the-counter medications. This project is supported by the Bucks County Commissioners and is funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Nationally, statistics show that one in 10 youth between the ages of 12-17 has abused cough medicine to get high. One out of every 5 teens has abused prescription drugs. One in 3 teens report knowing someone who abuses prescription drugs, and next to marijuana, prescription medications are the most commonly abused substances. About 57% of teenagers who misuse prescription drugs obtain them from a friend or relative. Often the source is unsuspectingly in one’s own medicine cabinet.

Recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others have detected pharmaceutical drugs in varying concentrations in our water supply. Safe disposal of prescription drugs helps to reduce the presence of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water. This one-day effort is intended to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse and to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse, particularly among our youth. The program is anonymous. For a complete list of drop-off locations in Bucks County, please visit the home page of www.BucksCounty.org and click on the link: Bucks County Medication Disposal.