Press release:

Des Moines residents who want to participate in National Drug Take Back Day can drop off unwanted or expired medicines, including pain relievers and other controlled substances, on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. by the Des Moines Police Department at the Bartell Drugs at two locations on Pacific Highway South. The stroes are located at 22001 and 21615 Pacific Hwy. S.
Additional information on facilities accepting unused or old prescription and over-the-counter medicines can be found at www.takebackyourmeds.org/dea-events.
National Drug Take Back Day highlights the critical need for ongoing and sustainable safe drug disposal programs to reduce the rising rates of prescription drug abuse, overdoses, and accidental poisonings. Sponsored by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with local law enforcement agencies, the one-day event provides communities with free, anonymous medicine returns for unused medications, including dangerous controlled substances. Take-back programs also help protect the environment, while they safeguard public health.

In Washington state, poisonings are the leading cause of accidental deaths, surpassing car crashes and falls, according to a 2010 study from the Washington State Department of Health. While single-day events like the DEA's National Drug Take Back Day help reduce these risks, the Take Back Your Meds coalition contends that Washington state needs an ongoing solution to address the serious, long-term problem. The group is comprised of local law enforcement agencies, health organizations, drugstores, local governments, environmental groups and community organizations that support a statewide medicine take-back program financed by pharmaceutical manufacturers, instead of by local governments and tax dollars.

Each year, Washington state spends $31.7 million to hospitalize and treat children for unintentional poisonings from medicines ($16.2)[i], cover emergency room costs for kids who accidentally ingested medications ($9.3)[ii] and on expenses for children who have overdosed ($6.2)[iii]. Additionally, there are environmental risks that occur when people flush medicines down drains or toilets, or put them in the trash. Improper drug disposal creates environmental contaminants that threaten water quality, aquatic species, and the soil.

Currently, only 14 Washington counties have a handful of temporary drug take-back programs, which are funded by law enforcement agencies, pharmacies, or community groups. This puts an undue burden on these organizations and taxpayers-many of which have limited resources in this tough economic climate. Take Back Your Meds argues that drug manufacturers who produce medicines should provide an ongoing take-back system, as a part of their cost of doing business. This would protect Washington communities and the Puget Sound from the health and environmental hazards that unused medicines create.

For only 1 penny for every $16 in drug sales, pharmaceutical companies could easily fund a convenient, ongoing state take-back program. Similar programs already exist in Canada. This past March, the Washington State Legislature failed to pass a bill for a secure medicine take-back program, which would have been the first statewide program in the nation. The Take Back Your Meds coalition continues to support the passage of state legislation to protect families and the environment. To learn more about Take Back Your Meds visit: www.takebackyourmeds.org. To find temporary take-back programs near Des Moines if you miss the April 30 event visit: www.takebackyourmeds.org.