By Monique Roth

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The Louisiana State Police, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day today, April 26, in an effort to help individuals rid their homes of potentially dangerous prescription drugs.

Expired, unused, and unwanted medications may be brought for disposal today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the nearest Louisiana State Police troop location.

Directions to the troop location nearest you may be obtained by visiting www.LSP.org or by dialing *577 from your cell phone.

This service is free and anonymous and is a great opportunity for those who have accumulated unwanted or unused prescription drugs to dispose of them safely.

This program addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion and misuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses.

Studies show the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet. The usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, can potentially pose safety and health hazards.

Controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter substances will be collected. Participants may dispose of medications in the original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box. If an original container is submitted, the individual should remove any identifying information from the prescription label.

All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers will be accepted. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The depositor should ensure the cap is tightly sealed to prevent leakage.

Items that will not be accepted include intra-venous solutions, injectables and syringes. Illicit substances such as marijuana and methamphetamines are not part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.

During last October’s Take Back Day, Americans turned in more than 647,211 pounds of prescription drugs at more than 5,683 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners.