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3 CNMI sites to take part in Prescription Take Back Day
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Posted on Apr 27 2022
Three health sites in the CNMI will be participating in the 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 30, from 10am to 2pm, during which they will accept unused prescription drugs and vaping device products for disposal.
The three sites in the CNMI that are taking part in this Drug Enforcement Administration-led activity are the Outpatient Pharmacy at the Commonwealth Health Center, the Rota Health Center, and the Tinian Health Center. They will be joining thousands of collection sites around the country, including in Guam, that offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. This event facilitates DEA’s ongoing efforts to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.
Shawn N. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, will join the DEA for this event.
Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,600 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 105,000 people died in the United States in the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2021, as the result of drug overdoses. This marks the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period. Opioid related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths during this time. In 2021, citizens of Guam and the CNMI turned in over 2,270 pounds of unneeded prescription medication.
The following sites in Guam are designated to receive unused prescription drugs and vaping device products: Agana Shopping Center (Center Court); Andersen Air Force Base Exchange (Main Base Exchange); Dededo Senior Center (Front Entrance); Inarajan Mayor’s Office (Front Entrance); and Naval Base Guam – Navy Exchange (Food Court). (PR)
