National Take-Back Day seeks to not only provide a safe way for individuals to dispose of their unused prescription medications, but also bring to light the fact of widespread prescription drug misuse, addiction and trafficking.
(PRWEB) April 25, 2014
April 26th, 2014 is National Take-Back Day. First established in late 2010 almost simultaneously by both a Drug Enforcement Administration event and Congress’ Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act, National Take-Back Day seeks to not only provide a safe way for individuals to dispose of their unused prescription medications, but also bring to light the fact of widespread prescription drug misuse, addiction and trafficking.
Prescription Medication Abuse
The 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that the number of individuals who abuse prescription drugs in the United States has now surpassed the combined number of individuals who abuse heroin, cocaine, inhalants and LSD. It is estimated that over six and a half million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, and most of these individuals are illegally obtaining them from their friends, family members and household medicine cabinets.
Adolescents and teenagers who are interested in or willing to experiment with drugs can easily become addicted to prescription medications if they erroneously feel these drugs are “safe” to use since they are medical drugs recommended by a doctor. These drugs are also readily accessible and free if they are kept in their parents’ medicine cabinets. The ease with which teenagers can obtain and use these medical drugs is proven by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention report that states that approximately twenty percent of American teenagers have abused prescription medications.
The fact is, that unused prescription medications that are left in the home can easily be abused by the individual for whom they were prescribed. They can also be illegally used by individuals for whom they were not intended, including children and other family members, or they can even be removed from the home and illegally sold to others. Unused prescription medications that are thrown away can be discovered in the trash and misused or sold to others. Unused prescription medications that are flushed down the toilet can contaminate the water supply. Providing a safe and secure way for individuals to dispose of their unused prescription medications is therefore providing a highly beneficial public service and taking yet another step in the direction of eliminating drug abuse in our country.
Narconon Arrowhead’s Promotion of National Take-Back Day
Narconon Arrowhead is a holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation center that works hard to raise awareness of and address and resolve the problem of drug abuse and addiction in our current society. Not only does the Narconon rehabilitation program help individuals overcome the many problems related to substance abuse so that they can achieve and maintain lasting sobriety, Narconon is also involved in many drug education and prevention efforts. It is Narconon’s belief that individuals who are given all of the factual information regarding drugs and their effects are able to make informed decisions and abstain from drug use.
While Narconon Arrowhead does not promote the use of any drug, medical or otherwise, the center yet understands the occasional need for and use of prescription medications. However, if the facts about the dangers of prescription medications are unknown, they can easily be abused or misused, and can lead to addiction. In honor of National Take-Back Day, Narconon Arrowhead is promoting how one can be safe with prescription medications in the home.
- Educate children, adolescents and teenagers in the true dangers of prescription drug abuse. Facts about prescription drug addiction and common misconceptions about prescription drugs can be found at http://www.narcononarrowhead.org/addiction/prescription-drugs/.
- Keep all prescription medications out of reach of children, and securely locked up to ensure that they cannot be accessed by anyone other than the individual they are prescribed for. This includes medications prescribed for children, adolescents and teenagers, whose dosing needs to be supervised by an adult.
- Dispose of unused and expired medications by returning them to safe location. Most pharmacies and even some hospitals will accept unused and expired medications and will dispose of them properly.
Since prescription drug abuse has become a nationwide epidemic, swift action must be taken to help address and resolve it. National Take-Back Day serves as an opportunity to not only eliminate the risk of the abuse of unused or expired prescription drugs, but also an opportunity to educate the public in the dangers of prescription drug abuse and addiction.
For more information contact Narconon Arrowhead at 800-468-6933 or log onto http://www.narcononarrowhead.org.
Source:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2014/04/03/4394/