The Drug Enforcement Administration and other organizations are inviting the public to dispose of unused medications and opioids safely and anonymously. The program is part of “National Prescription Take Back Days” -- which allows residents to drop off any old medications they may have.
Friday and Saturday's event is in line with the Dispose Unused Medications and Prescription (DUMP) Opioids Act, which was signed into law last year by President Joe Biden. A list of participating locations is on the DEA's website -- which includes places like Publix Super Markets, Walgreens, and CVS Pharmacies.
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DEA's National Prescriptive Take Back Days[/caption]
Drug misuse and overdoses remain a growing problem in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported that 107,000 Americans died last year from drug overdoses, a nearly 15% increase from 2020. Although, the CDC noted the 2021 increase was half of what it was a year ago when overdose deaths rose 30% from 2019 to 2020.
Central Florida Veteran Affairs Offices also will be open for drop-off all day, today and Saturday — in secure receptacles — to promote safe usage and help fight the nation’s opioid overdose epidemic
Simultaneously, HCA Florida Healthcare Central Florida Hospitals will be hosting its 4th annual “Crush the Crisis” education event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Saturday, inviting residents to drop off opioids at medical campuses in Orlando, Lake Nona, Oviedo, and Kissimmee.
Last year a similar effort to collect these medications yielded some 15-thousand pounds of medications such as Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Tramadol, Codeine, Fentanyl, and more, HCA said.