On Saturday, Sept. 26, CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, together with CU Denver Police Department, participated in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Take Back Initiative. The CU Anschutz Medical Campus collected just under 300 pounds of medications. Pharmacy students also helped collect medications in Loveland, Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado (824 pounds, 84 pounds and 72 pounds respectively).
Area television stations, Channel 7 and 9NEWS covered the Anschutz Medical Campus event.
Drug Take-Back Day is meant to raise awareness about the safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of prescription drugs, as well as educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
“Prescription drug abuse and misuse is a serious problem in Colorado,” said Robert J. Valuck, PhD, RPh, FNAP, a professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Knowing that up to 200 million pounds of filled prescriptions went unused in 2013, the question is where is it going? Is it going down the drain? Or being used by friends or family members to whom it wasn’t prescribed? Both are dangerous options. Clearly, we need to do a significant amount of public awareness and provider education on safe use, safe storage and safe disposal as a starting point.”
Once collected, the DEA handles all disposal. The University Police Department has a permanent drop box, located on campus, in its lobby in Bldg.407 available for drop 24/7. So, if you missed this event, drop by their building and deposit your unused or expired medications into the permanent drop box.
The event was supported by the DEA, the University of Colorado Anschutz Police Department, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Gov. John Hickenlooper, the State Attorney General, and the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention.
