It’s very important to dispose of old, unwanted, unused prescription drugs. But how do you dispose of medication safely? You should never flush them because they could eventually end up in the water system. Even treated sewage could still have traces of the drugs, which could destroy the ecosystem where the treated sewage is released.
National Drug Takeback Day seeks to educate the public while giving them a chance to dispose of their unwanted drugs. The event happens twice a year on the last Saturday of April and October.
Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry wants to encourage our patients to take part in this important event. If you can’t, there may be other ways to dispose of unused drugs anytime.
National Drug Takeback Day
The National Drug Enforcement Administration started National Drug Takeback Day to bring awareness to people about the dangers of disposing of prescription drugs incorrectly. The DEA wanted to prevent unused medications from falling into the wrong hands.
Prescription drugs could end up being found by small children. They could also be found by family or visitors who sold them illegally, adding drugs to the streets. The best solution is to get rid of the expired or unused drugs safely.
Why does Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry support this? Our patients sometimes need medication after dental procedures, and they want to know what to do with the pain medication they don’t use. How do they dispose of old medications?
This issue affects many people, including dental patients. We need to ensure these drugs don’t end up in the hands of the wrong people or end up in our environment.
How to Dispose of Old Medication
Take your old and unused medication to the National Drug Takeback locations. Do you know where to dispose of old medication? In Washington County, those locations are the Washington County Courthouse, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Springdale Police Department.
Police and sheriff’s deputies will take the drugs and dispose of them properly, usually in a special incinerator that destroys the drugs safely.
Drug Takeback Near Me
What if you miss National Drug Takeback Day? No problem! You can always check with your local law enforcement office or courthouse to find year-round drop-off locations. You can visit ARtakeback.org to find a local dropoff location. In Northwest Arkansas, most police stations and sheriff’s offices are year-round drug takeback locations.
Are you a patient of Beavers and Broomfield Family Dentistry in Fayetteville, AR? You can always ask us if you have concerns about your medication. We will happily answer your questions and guide you on the best way to dispose of your medications.
