GOT DRUGS? NATIONAL DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY ON OCT. 26, 2013 DHSS SHARES DRUG TREATMENT RESOURCES

(Wilmington, Delaware) - Delaware Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Rita Landgraf and Delaware Safety and Homeland Security Secretary (DSHS) Lewis D. Schiliro today announced the next Drug Take-Back Day will be held Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 31 sites statewide.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sponsors the National Drug Take-Back Days. Since the first statewide Drug Take-Back event was held in May 2010, the seven Take-Back Days have removed 28,334 pounds of medicines from circulation in Delaware.

DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf asks all Delawareans to clean their homes and workplaces of expired, unused and unwanted medicines and dispose of them properly - and anonymously - on Saturday at advertised statewide collection sites.

"If unused medicines are not secured, pill abuse and theft can easily occur, leading to unintended addictions, accidental overdoses, accidents and crime," Landgraf said. "It is important for us to properly discard unused prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, bedside tables, kitchen drawers, cars and purses. Since this a free and anonymous drug disposal service, identification is not required, and no questions will be asked."

The DEA, citing the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, reported that more than 70 percent of people abusing prescription pain relievers got them through friends or relatives, a statistic that includes raiding the family medicine cabinet. Twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number of those who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined.

Thirty-one collection sites statewide will accept unneeded pills, liquids and cream medications in their containers, including medications. Injectables and aerosols are not included in the program, and will not be accepted. Personal information should be removed from bottles and packages. For a list of collection sites, visit: www.delawarehealthyhomes.govor call 1-800-882-9539. Collected medicines will be safely destroyed.

Delaware Division of Public Health Dr. Karyl Rattay and Dr. Randeep Kahlon, immediate past president of the Medical Society of Delaware, briefly presented another overview on the Prescription Drug Action Committee's recommendations for combating prescription drug abuse. The recommendations were originally presented in April 2013. PDAC is a broad and diverse group that includes physicians, community-based organizations, behavioral health partners, hospital systems, pain management specialists, law enforcement, the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Homeland Security, Medicaid, pharmaceutical representatives, medical professional regulators, retail pharmacy representation, the Delaware Nursing Association and patient advocacy entities, as well as public and private payers. The recommendations of the Prescription Drug Action Committee are located at www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/files/pdacfinalreport2013.pdf

"We know that prescription drugs themselves are not the problem; addiction and misuse is the problem," said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH Director. "The Prescription Drug Action Committee was formed with this idea in mind-we must address prescription drug addiction and misuse by considering issues of access, education, and control to provide real-world, practical proposals to address our prescription drug epidemic."

For children, medications are the most common and deadly poisons. In addition to being illegal, using unauthorized drugs can cause irreversible damage to our brains, heart, liver and other organs. Addiction, injuries, suicides and accidental deaths can occur when people abuse prescription drugs. Persons under the influence of unauthorized prescription drugs commit crimes, cause accidents, and put law-abiding citizens in harm's way.

DSHS Secretary Schiliro praised PDAC's efforts to prevent prescription drug abuse. "The illicit use of prescription drugs has become an epidemic in our community," Secretary Lewis Schiliro said. "With 64 percent of teens having abused prescription drugs this is causing untold harm to include addiction, injuries, accidental deaths and suicides. This adverse impact on our communities requires a call to action on our Drug Take Back Day - October 26, 2013."

The Drug Take-Back Day collection sites available on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. are:

New Castle County:
CHRISTIANA CARE HOSPITAL
MEDICAL ARTS PAVILION II
4755 OGLETOWN-STANTON RD.
NEWARK, DE
19718

DELAWARE CITY TOWN HALL
407 CLINTON ST.
DELAWARE CITY, DE 19706

EDGEMOOR COMMUNITY CENTER
500 DUNCAN RD., SUITE A
WILMINGTON, DE 19809
FRAWLEY STADIUM
801 SHIPYARD DR.
WILMINGTON, DE 19801

MIDDLETOWN POLICE STATION
130 HAMPDEN RD.
MIDDLETOWN, DE
19709

VINCENT A. JULIA BUILDING
DELAWARE MEMORIAL BRIDGE TOLL PLAZA COMPLEX
I-295 AND U.S. RT. 9
NEW CASTLE, DE 19720

NEW CASTLE COUNTY POLICE DEPT.
3601 N. DUPONT HWY.
NEW CASTLE, DE
19720
NEWARK SENIOR CENTER
200 WHITE CHAPEL DR.
NEWARK, DE 19711

SHIPLEY MANOR
2723 SHIPLEY RD.
WILMINGTON, DE 19810

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING
413 ACADEMY ST.
NEWARK, DE 19711


VA MEDICAL CENTER - WILMINGTON
1601 KIRKWOOD HWY.
WILMINGTON, DE 19805

Kent County
ATLANTIC APOTHECARY
100 S. MAIN ST. - #104
SMYRNA, DE 19977

CAMDEN POLICE DEPT.
1783 FRIENDS WAY
CAMDEN, DE 19934

CHESWOLD POLICE DEPT.
691 MAIN ST.
CHESWOLD, DE 19936

DOVER POLICE DEPT.
400 S. QUEEN ST.
DOVER, DE 19904

FELTON POLICE DEPT.
24 E. SEWELL ST.
FELTON, DE
19943

HARRINGTON POLICE DEPT.
10 MECHANIC ST.
HARRINGTON, DE 19952

HERITAGE AT DOVER ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
1203 WALKER ROAD
DOVER, DE 19904

Sussex County
BRIDGEVILLE FIRE DEPT.
311 MARKET ST.
BRIDGEVILLE, DE 19933

DAGSBORO POLICE DEPT.
33134 MAIN ST.
DAGSBORO, DE 19939

DELAWARE STATE POLICE - TROOP 4
23652 SHORTLY RD.
GEORGETOWN, DE 19947

GREENWOOD POLICE DEPT.
100 W. MARKET ST.
GREENWOOD, DE 19950

LAUREL POLICE DEPT.
205 MECHANIC ST.
LAUREL, DE 19956

LEWES FERRY TERMINAL
43 CAPE HENLOPEN DR.
LEWES, DE 19958

MILFORD POLICE DEPT.
400 N. E. FRONT ST.
MILFORD, DE 19963

MILTON POLICE DEPT.
101 FEDERAL ST.
MILTON, DE 19968

NANTICOKE MEARS HEALTH CAMPUS
200 RAWLINS DR.
SEAFORD, DE 19973

OCEANVIEW POLICE DEPT.
201 CENTRAL AVE.
OCEANVIEW, DE 19970

REHOBOTH BEACH POLICE DEPT.
229 REHOBOTH AVE.
REHOBOTH BEACH, DE 19971

SELBYVILLE TOWN HALL
68 W. CHURCH ST.
SELBYVILLE, DE 19975

TUNNELL CANCER CENTER
18947 JOHN JAY WILLIAMS HWY.
REHOBOTH BEACH, DE 19971

Delaware's Drug Take Back event totals:

• Delaware's Drug Take-Back Day Event Totals, by year.
• Prescription Drug AbuseTeens.
• Prescription Drug Abuse Parents .
• Prescription Drug Abuse Nurses .

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.