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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Drug Enforcement Administration is ending its "National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day" program after what it says has been a "very, very successful" run.
The DEA's Barbara Carreno (kah-REE'-noh) says the agency has conducted eight of these events for people to dispose of old or unneeded prescription drugs, no questions asked, and they've collected more than 2,000 tons of drugs. But this Saturday will be the ninth and final "Drug Take-Back Day."
That's because revised rules for enforcing the Controlled Substances Act will allow for more convenient disposal options every day -- not just once every six months. Drug stores, clinics, hospitals and other facilities will now be able to provide collection bins, in addition to those that law enforcement agencies have used for the take-back days.
Carreno says the new rules should ease tremendous pent-up demand. She says DEA gets calls "almost continuously between take-back days" asking what can be done with old drugs now, not six months from now.
Today, as on the previous take-back days, drugs can be dropped off at thousands of locations nationwide from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.
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