Prevention Summit & DEA Drug Take-Back Day held in Yakima

The 2011 Washington State Prevention Summit was held at the Yakima Convention Center on Oct. 28 and 29. The goal of the Prevention Summit was to inspire both kids and adults in our community to help put an end to drug and substance abuse in Washington state.

KNDO-TV in Yakima stopped by on Friday afternoon to see kids and adults rallying outside the convention center to help spread the word about the importance of drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Jim Cooper, president of the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention, and Margaret Shield from the Take Back Your Meds coalition both spoke at the event.

In addition to the Prevention Summit, on Oct. 29 law enforcement agencies throughout Yakima County participated in the nationwide DEA Drug Take-Back Day. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. there were various prescription and over-the-counter drug take-back locations setup throughout the county. Hundreds and hundreds of pills were collected for safe and proper disposal.

DEA Take Back Day sucessfully collects hundreds of pounds in unused medicine

The Drug Enforcement Agency's National Drug Take Back Day went over very well in Western Washington. At several locations across the area many prescription drugs were collected, preventing potential environmental damage and making our medicine cabinets a little safer.

While the day was a great success, Take Back Your Meds is still working to get a permanent take-back program instated which will place the financial responsibility on pharmaceutical companies instead of tax payers.

National Drug Take Back Day on April 30

To support National Drug Take Back Day, the Take Back Your Meds coalition is encouraging Seattle residents to drop off unwanted or expired medicines at Fisherman’s Terminal on Saturday, April 30th. The site will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sponsored by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the Port of Seattle Police Department; the one-day event provides communities with access to safe medicine return locations in an effort to reduce the increasing rates of accidental poisonings and prescription drug abuse while protecting the environment.

National Drug Take Back Day highlights the critical need in Washington for an ongoing and sustainable, state drug disposal program. Poisonings are the leading cause of accidental deaths, surpassing car crashes in Washington. Take Back Your Meds is comprised of local law enforcement agencies, health organizations, drugstores, local governments, environmental groups and community organizations. The coalition supports a statewide medicine take-back program financed and run by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

For more local sites for National Drug Take Back Day, visit: www.takebackyourmeds.org/dea-events.
For more on Take Back Your Meds, go to: www.takebackyourmeds.org.