Q: What is the National Take Back program for unused pain pills and other prescriptions?
A: Communities across the country are coming to grips with devastating substance abuse and drug addiction that in a growing number of cases started with prescription pain killers. Preventing illicit access to prescription drugs is one way to curb the misuse and abuse that may lead to addiction. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) coordinates a nationwide program with neighborhood pharmacies, local law enforcement, and other community activists to offer a safe, convenient and responsible means of prescription drug disposal. We need to continue to raise awareness about the opioid-abuse crisis that is devastating families and shredding the fabric of close-knit communities. Medicines -- specifically unused prescription pain killers -- that are left on the shelf in cabinets, cupboards, nightstands or countertops in rural, urban and suburban households pose a risk for theft or misuse. The Take Back program provides a responsible means to collect unused medications in local communities. It gives Iowans a safe way to clear out their medicine cabinets and bring unneeded or unused prescription medicines for safe disposal. Unfortunately, regulatory hurdles may be preventing more people from taking advantage of this opportunity at local, hometown pharmacies. U.S. Senator Joni Ernst and I have requested that the Government Accountability Office report on the DEA’s regulations that pose barriers to voluntary participation. It makes no sense to operate a Take Back program if regulations make it too costly or burdensome for local pharmacies to participate. Throughout my service in the U.S. Senate, I have learned that robust congressional oversight helps hold government accountable. Too often, the federal bureaucracy makes things more complicated and more expensive than they need to be. We want to expand voluntary participation by local pharmacies to provide this service to as many people in the community as possible. That’s why Senator Ernst and I are working to make sure the Take Back program is as effective and cost-efficient as possible so that it adequately serves the public and makes a difference without wasting taxpayer money.
Q: What else is being done to address the pain pill and heroin epidemic?
A: Some Iowans may not realize how pervasive pain killer abuse and heroin addiction are becoming. However, as more tragic stories are reported in local media outlets or shared on social media, the word is getting out. Building awareness is one piece of the puzzle. More than 47,000 drug-related deaths occur each year in the United States. More than half are from heroin and prescription opioids. Federal policymakers also are working closely with local community anti-coalitions and law enforcement to implement a holistic approach to the problem: prevention, treatment, recovery and interdiction. Too often, the problem starts out with a patient who uses pain killers after surgery or a young athlete who is recovering from an injury. An unintended addiction to pain medications may lead users to try illicit alternatives, such as heroin, that are cheaper and easier to get on the streets. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I led this year a bipartisan comprehensive bill through my committee and the full Senate. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) boosts education, prevention, treatment and recovery measures. It also provides law enforcement and first responders access to tools to reverse overdoses, including naloxone, a counteractive medication, to save lives. We cannot ignore this crisis and hope it goes away. Babies are being born with addiction and moms and dads are making tragic emergency room visits and facing unimaginable loss. CARA supports the good work of local communities to reverse this tide of addiction and heartache. I’ll continue pushing for the House of Representatives to pass the bill and get it to the president’s desk. Together we can save lives and restore hope.
Q: When is the next nationwide Take Back Day?
A: In addition to the year-round program, the DEA coordinates a nationwide Take Back Day twice a year since September 2010. As an original cosponsor of the legislation that established specific “take back days,” I shared in the frustration with local law enforcement and anti-drug community coalitions when the Obama administration discontinued this public service. That’s why I pushed for the DEA to reinstate “take back days” to continue building awareness about the public health and public safety issues involved with unused medicines not being properly disposed. The DEA and local law enforcement will coordinate the next Take Back Day on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Iowans need to know this is a safe, anonymous collection of unwanted and expired medicines. Find your nearest collection site online at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/For more information about safe drug disposal, consumers may visit the DEA’s website, www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/
