National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday

LANSING. The Michigan State Police (MSP) will partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other local law enforcement agencies for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to provide a venue for citizens to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs. (Upper Michigan Drop-off Sites are listed below)

MSP’s 29 posts will participate in the one-day ‘Take Back’ effort between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, by serving as drop-off points for citizens to discard expired, unused and unwanted medications for destruction. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.

“It is important for Michigan residents to know that there is a safe and confidential way to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs,” said Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “Take Back Day allows them to do so and helps prevent the potential hazards of the misuse of these drugs.”

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for one month. Often, some of these medicines languish in the home and are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high—more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that the majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs obtain them from family and friends for free, including from the home medicine cabinet.

MSP posts can be found by going to http://www.michigan.gov/mspposts.

Additional collection sites across the state can be found by going to www.dea.gov.

ESCANABA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, 1900 THIRD AVENUE N., ESCANABA

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – GLADSTONE POST, 922 LAKE SHORE DRIVE, GLADSTONE

HOUGHTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, FRONT OFFICE – 403 E HOUGHTON AVE, HOUGHTON

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – IRON MOUNTAIN POST, 1916 NORTH STEPHENSON, IRON MOUNTAIN

SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, 300 MAIN STREET, MANISTIQUE

MARQUETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 300 W BARAGA, MARQUETTE

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – NEGAUNEE POST, 180 U.S. 41 EAST, NEGAUNEE

ST. IGNACE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, ST IGNACE CITY HALL, 396 N STATE ST., SAINT IGNACE

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – ST. IGNACE POST, N430 I-75, SAINT IGNACE

SAULT STE MARIE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 325 COURT STREET, SAULT STE MARIE

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – SAULT STE. MARIE POST, 3900 I-75 BR SAULT STE. MARIE

MICHIGAN STATE POLICE – WAKEFIELD POST, 100 SUNDAY LAKE STREET, WAKEFIELD

HANNAHVILLE TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, HANNAHVILLE HEALTH CENTER, N15019 HANNAHVILLE B-1 ROAD, WILSON