Keesler, DEA offer 'Take-Back Day' to prevent misuse of prescriptions Published April 18, 2012 By Master Sgt. Holly McCune 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Training Wing and Drug Enforcement Administration join forces to offer the Keesler community an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft through a prescription drug "Take-Back Day" program 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28 at the exchange main entrance. All Department of Defense beneficiaries are encouraged to bring medications for disposal and rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous. Controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter medications will be accepted. However no syringes, needles, opened vials or anything with blood-borne pathogens may be included. According to a DEA news release, last October, Americans turned in 377,086 pounds -- 188.5 tons -- of prescription drugs at nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners. When the results of the three take-back days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of medication from circulation in the past 13 months. The release continued, "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. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines -- flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash -- both pose potential safety and health hazards. Local law enforcement agencies and the DEA plan to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.