Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley encourages Iowans to take part in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, Oct. 22. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., approved collection sites will accept prescription medicines for safe disposal.
“More than ever with the opioid crisis, we need to get unused medicines out of medicine cabinets,” Grassley said. “Most teen-agers who experiment with prescription drugs get them from the family medicine cabinet. Leftover opioids that are thrown in the trash might be retrieved and abused or sold. Flushing them isn’t good for the water supply. It’s best to dispose of these medicines in a safe way that removes the threat of abuse.”
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has been popular with Iowans. Grassley helped to restore it after the agency ended it in favor of other disposal methods.
As Judiciary Committee chairman, Grassley steered the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act through the Senate. Now signed into law, it’s been called the “most sweeping drug legislation in years” and an “extraordinary step forward” to save lives and restore hope. The new law authorizes and encourages further prescription drug take back efforts.
Information on local drug disposal sites for Saturday’s take back day is available here or by calling 1-800-882-9539
Those who miss the take back event can find other approved disposal sites, such as local pharmacies, here.
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