The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is encouraging all Tennesseans to look at the prescription medications in their homes and prepare to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to encourage the safe and secure disposal of potentially addictive and otherwise harmful prescription medications. In Tennessee, community groups including the state’s Substance Use Prevention Coalitions team up with local law enforcement and other partners to host Take Back Day events. The events serve to collect thousands of pounds of medications while also providing opportunities to start conversations about preventing substance misuse and addiction.
Find a National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event near you at TNtogether.com/takebackday
In the last National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April of this year, agencies collected more than 8,200 pounds of medications at more than 120 locations across Tennessee. Since the start of Take Back Day, Tennesseans have safely and securely disposed of more than 350,000 pounds of medications.
Tennesseans who miss out on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can still safely and securely dispose their medications at one of 383 permanent drug drop boxes across the state. These drop boxes are located in many pharmacies, police precincts, and sheriff’s offices. Find a permanent drug drop box near you at this link: tdeconline.tn.gov/rxtakeback
Members of the Cannon County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will be accepting unused and outdated prescription drugs. You can drop off those items at Woodbury Drug Center 604 West Main Street between 10 A.M. AND 2 P.M.
Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. It’s dangerous and often tragic. Everyone is encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in safely and anonymously any prescription drugs. The members of the Cannon County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition ask you to not be an unintended dealer.