Women In Government Recognizes National Drug Take Back Day

    WASHINGTON, DC, October 27, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Women In Government, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization representing female state legislators, recognizes National Drug Take Back Day. On Saturday, October 28 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and localities across the country will give the public an opportunity to drop off expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Adding to the effort, Walgreens and their partners are increasing the number of medication disposal kiosks to around 1,500 in stores nationwide.

Walgreens has contributed to National Drug Take Back Day by collecting 155 tons of unwanted medications in the first 18 months of the store kiosks being open. With the expansion they hope to collect an additional 300 tons in the next two years. During the last years take back day, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Healthcare companies, along with the DEA and local law enforcement, are making it easier for the public to dispose of unwanted medications steering the way toward comprehensive solutions to the opioid epidemic in our country.

Women In Government has also taken on this initiative when it assembled a national task force in 2016 to create a mental health and substance use toolkit for state legislators to use combat these issues in their states. Click here to check out the toolkit.

For more information on how to find a Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website.

Women In Government Foundation, Inc., headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of women state legislators that provides leadership opportunities, networking, expert forums, and educational resources to address and resolve complex public policy issues to all 1,808 women state legislators. Women In Government leads the nation with a bold, courageous and passionate vision that empowers and mobilizes all women legislators to effect sound policy in areas such as healthcare, education, energy, the environment, transportation, criminal justice and more. Learn more at www.womeningovernment.org

# # #