Join in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, September 26

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is encouraging all Tennesseans to do their part in properly disposing of their unused medications on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, Sept. 26. Misuse of prescription medication can put your health at risk and lead to accidental overdoses, poisoning addiction, and possible death.

“It is so important to discard unused prescription medications from your home to ensure they are not obtained, misused, and abused by family and friends,” said E. Douglas Varney, Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. “By joining in Drug Take-Back Day, you will be taking the best approach in removing unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs from your home and eliminating the possibility they’ll harm someone else who gets their hands on them.”

Take the following steps to get rid of Prescription Drugs from your home:
• Check for unused prescriptions in your medicine cabinets, under the sink, in kitchen drawers, purses, and other containers or bags.
• Bring prescriptions in their original containers and remove all labeling on packages, bottles and containers before disposing, to ensure your protection and privacy.
• Click HERE to locate the nearest Prescription Drug Take-Back Box location in Tennessee.

“This is a great partnership with law enforcement. It’s free, anonymous and no questions asked,” said Commissioner Varney. “We need to do all we can to encourage people to participate, as the rate of prescription drug abuse in Tennessee is high, as are the number of accidental poisonings.”
It is estimated that more than 1,000 people in Tennessee die each year from drug overdoses. Many of those deaths could have been prevented if unused prescriptions were disposed of properly.

“Every pill that’s not properly disposed of is a chance it will result in an unintended overdose of death,” said Commissioner Varney. “I urge all Tennesseans to take part in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, so these unused drugs don’t harm those we love and care for the most.”
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is to plan for and promote the availability of a comprehensive array of quality prevention, early intervention, treatment, habilitation and rehabilitation services and supports based on the needs and choices of individuals and families served. For more information, visit www.tn.gov/behavioral-health.