DART PARTNERS WITH DEA IN PRESCRIPTION TAKE-BACK PROGRAM
Thursday, September 23, 2010—The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and other law enforcement agencies to prevent increased abuse and theft of prescription medications, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday.
The nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative set for Saturday, Sept. 25th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. will collect potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs at cites across the county. The service is free and anonymous.
The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue, as many Americans are unaware that medicines languishing in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing exponentially, 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, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of unused medicine, often flushing it down the toilet or throwing it away. This program avoids this potential safety and health hazard by safely destroying collected medication.
Collection points set up by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday are:
Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Drive (map)
Skokie Courthouse, 5600 W. Old Orchard Rd.(map)
Markham Courthouse, 16501 S. Kedzie Pkwy.(map)
Bridgeview Courthouse, 10220 S. 76th Ave.(map)
Rolling Meadow Courthouse, 2121 Euclid St.(map)