October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, and Missouri health professionals said one of the simplest ways to protect families is by clearing out old medications.
This Saturday, the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day gives residents a way to dispose of expired or unused medications and help prevent misuse, especially among teens.
Marietta Hagan, substance use project coordinator for CoxHealth, said a lot of people mistakenly believe that if a doctor prescribed it, the medication must be safe, even when it is not meant for them.
"That physician prescribed it specifically for that person, that person's medical history, that person's other issues," Hagan explained. "Many factors come into that prescription. If a person takes a medication that is not prescribed to them, it can be potentially fatal."
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with drop-off sites across Missouri. In May, nearly 4,500 law enforcement agencies helped the DEA collect more than 620,000 pounds of unused medications nationwide.
Health officials warned leftover prescriptions can open the door to more dangerous drugs like fentanyl, which continues to drive overdose deaths in Missouri and around the country. Hagan noted that before tighter oversight, it was easier to access medications not prescribed to you, and some communities were more at risk.
"Especially in the rural areas where our hospitals weren't as connected and our pharmacies weren't as electronically connected as they are today," Hagan pointed out. "We've come a long way, and we've seen a sharp decline in prescription drug misuse but it's still out there."
Since 2010, the DEA’s Drug Take Back program has removed nearly 20 million pounds of unwanted medications from homes across the country.
