Utah will take part in DEA’s prescription drug take-back day Saturday

Photo: Va.gov

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 22, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Attorney General’s Office is spreading the word about the national prescription drug take-back initiative, which occurs Saturday.

“This is an opportunity for people to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired medications, and unwanted e-cigarettes or vaping apparatuses,” said a news release from the Utah AG’s office. You can find a take-back location here.

“Prescription drug abuse, particularly for painkillers, has risen to epidemic levels nationwide, and Utah is no exception,” said Attorney General Sean Reyes. “Prescription drugs, when administered and taken responsibly, can be a productive tool for pain management, But far too often, what begins innocently can lead to dependence and devastation.”

Reyes added: “No community is immune. Addiction touches rural and urban areas, uptown or downtown neighborhoods alike. And whether we realize it or not, our medicine cabinets may be where addicts are looking next or where they may have already been. By teaming up on take-back day with partners like the DEA, AARP, businesses, and citizens across our state, we will recover hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of prescription drugs.”

Eco-friendly reclamation bags have been donated at no cost to the state by private companies like doTERRA and Mallinckrodt. These bags are distributed to thousands of Utah take-back locations around the state and can be filled with any pills, which will dissolve and neutralize.

“The eco-friendly, medication disposal system produced and donated for Utah take-back is highly effective in absorbing and firmly binding pharmaceuticals, rendering chemical compounds safe for landfills and reducing watershed contamination,” the news release said.

Click here for more information on the national take-back initiative and to find a drop-off location.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here