Indy-Area Spots Participating In Drug Take-Back Day April 28

ACROSS INDIANA -- You know all those old, near-empty prescription bottles that you absolutely want to get out of the way but haven't in forever?

Nobody's judging. We understand: You've just been smart enough not to thrown them away with your regular garbage and, well, you won't have that excuse Saturday, April 28.

In Indianapolis, Noblesville and Fishers, you can dispose of unused medication on the 28th at various locations during the spring Take Back Day. The events sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration are held twice annually to help Americans safely dispose of expired and unused prescriptions.

Not only will you eliminate the risk that you — or some kid — could pop a pill that has already expired, which can be dangerous. Moreover, if you have any lingering opioids left over from when you needed it, you'll want to get rid of those pills so they don't fall into the wrong hands.

Last fall, Americans turned in a record-setting 912,305 pounds — or 456 tons — of potentially dangerous drugs, almost 6 tons more than collected at the spring 2017 event. That brings to 4,508 tons the amount of prescription drugs collected by the DEA since the fall of 2010.

Local prescription drug disposal events are April 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
Fishers:

• Fishers Police Department Drop Box - 4 Municipal Drive
• Kroger - 11700 Olio Rd.

Noblesville:

• Riverview Health - east parking lot

Indianapolis:

• St. Vincent Hospital - Front entrance, door 1, 2001 W. 86th St.
• Indianapolis Fire Department Fire Station 4 - 8404 N. Ditch Rd.
• Indianapolis Fire Department Fire Station 27 - 2918 E. 10th St.
• Indianapolis Fire Department Fire Station 2 - 4120 Mitthoeffer Rd.
• Indianapolis Fire Department Fire Station 1 - 1903 W. 10th St.
• Indianapolis Fire Department Fire Station 23 - 1108 E. Thompson Rd.
• Indiana Board of Pharmacy - Community Cancer Center North Community Hospital, Police/security - 7979 Shadeland Ave.
• Indiana Board of Pharmacy - Walmart, 3221 W. 86th St.
• Indiana Board of Pharmacy - Community Center South Community Hospital Police/Security - 1440 E. County Line Rd.
• Marion County Sheriff's Office Drop Box - 40 S. Alabama St.
• Indiana State Police District 52 - 8620 E. 21st St.
• Kroger Speedway - 5718 Crawfordsville Rd.

In addition, there are more than a dozen other local events happening in other cities.
More events will be added through the week, so be sure to check hereto find a convenient location.

Included in the haul are ever-higher amounts of opioids, the DEA said. Though prescribed for pain management, these highly addictive drugs can be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens. Opioid use has been declared a public health emergency by President Trump.
Often, the path to addiction to illegal drugs like heroin begins at a doctor's office.

"The abuse of these prescription drugs has fueled the nation's opioid epidemic which has led to the highest rate of overdose deaths this country has ever seen," DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson said in a statement. "This is a crisis that must be addressed from multiple angles. Educating the public and removing these medications from households across the United State prevents misuse where it often starts."

In 2016, opioids were involved in 42,249 overdose deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overdose deaths were five times higher in 2016, the latest year for which statistics are available, than they were in 1999.

The majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet, the DEA said.

Other methods of disposal — throwing unused drugs out with the trash or flushing them down the toilet — can cause environmental damage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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• Donnelly Urges Trump To Renew Opioid Epidemic Declaration
• IU, Gov. Holcomb Announce $50 Million Initiative To Fight Opioid Crisis

But it's not just opioids that pose dangers. Expired prescription drugs can be less effective or risky due to changes over time in chemical composition. Some expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Expired antibiotics may not treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance, the DEA said.

The drugs must have been prescribed to a member of your household. Illegal drugs can't be disposed of during the events, nor can syringes and needles. More information is available here.

Photo by David Smart/Shutterstock.com