The Flower Mound Police Department collected more than 1,500 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs Saturday as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
FMPD shared on social media Monday that during the four-hour window Saturday, the department collected 1,584 pounds of unwanted prescriptions at drop-off sites in the parking lots of Marcus and Flower Mound High School.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration created National Take-Back Day to address “a crucial public safety and public health issue,” according to its website. More than 6 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs in 2015, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and most of the abused drugs were obtained from family and friends, usually from the home medicine cabinet. So to help people safely dispose of potentially dangerous controlled substances, the DEA launched the semi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in 2010.
If you missed National Take Back Day, you can still dispose of your unwanted prescriptions before the next one. FMPD has a medication drop box, located in the lobby of the Police Department, 4150 Kirkpatrick Lane. For a list of guidelines of accepted and unaccepted materials, as well as how to properly dispose of needles, sharps and syringes, click here.
 GIF.gif)
