March 28, 2024

lowans urged to ‘take back’ unused prescription drugs

DES MOINES — State public safety officials encourage lowans to participate in a new opportunity to securely dispose of obsolete controlled prescription medications at participating sites later this week. This follows a recent decision by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to reinstate its successful National Prescription Drug Take Back program.

“This event gives the general public an opportunity to help fight the misuse of prescription drugs in our state. Law enforcement and medical professionals play an important role, but everyone with leftover medicine must take the first step,” said Paul Feddersen, assistant director for the Division of Narcotics Enforcement of the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Prescription drug abuse is Iowa’s fastest-growing form of substance abuse, and addiction to powerful pain relievers is also fueling more heroin use. Prescription pain pills and heroin are both opioid drugs. The combination is contributing to an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths in Iowa and the U.S.

“Most prescription drugs that are abused come from friends or family, so cleaning out medicine cabinets can save lives,” said Steve Lukan, director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy. “More law enforcement agencies and pharmacies now provide permanent secure boxes for dropping off controlled prescription drugs, but until they are commonplace, ‘Take Back’ events will help fill the void for getting rid of unused medicines to prevent abuse.”

“Most people don’t realize that anyone with prescription drugs in their home could potentially be a source for misuse of prescription drugs,” said Feddersen. “We see many lowans who become addicted to prescription drugs because they started using a family member’s leftover prescriptions. Once addicted, some of these individuals may then eventually move to heroin to fulfill that addiction.”

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Ringgold County Sheriff’s office, 801 W. South St., in Mount Ayr will be a “Take Back” site. Collection hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and participants are asked to drop off medicines in sealed containers with personal identification removed.

Most of Iowa's 100+ other locations participating in this week's National Prescription Drug Take Back will collect medicines Saturday. For a complete list of sites and times, plus related information, go to http://www.iowa.gov/odcp/drug_information/takebacks.html. If you do not find a collection site near you, please check back frequently, as sites are added every day.

Since 2001, the DEA’s Take Back program with law enforcement, pharmacies and community groups, nearly 26 tons of unused prescription drugs were collected in Iowa. Nationwide over that time, collections totaled 2,432 tons of obsolete medicines.