Unwanted, expired prescription medication take back

  • Published
  • By 4th Medical Group
  • 4th Medical Group
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  The 4th Fighter Wing will participate in the National Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Take Back Day Friday, Oct. 25, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This event gives Team Seymour the opportunity to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted medications. During this time, base patrons may bring medications to either the Exchange or the Thomas Koritz Clinic Pharmacy lobby for proper disposal.

This is the second time Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is hosting a take back event and the first time participating in a national DEA event. In August, approximately 100 pounds of medication were collected from several dozen individuals.

In 2012, Air Force pharmacies dispensed approximately 15 million prescriptions to more than 5 million beneficiaries. The Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Pharmacy prescribed more than 150,000 prescriptions to about 35,000 patients.

As a result of changing health conditions, drug allergies or adverse drug reactions, many individuals end up with partially used prescriptions in their medicine cabinets. Improper means of discarding unused medications, such as flushing them down the toilet, poses potential safety, health and environmental hazards.

According to Capt. Timothy Roche, 4th Medical Support Squadron officer in-charge of pharmacy services, utilizing this event to dispose of medications makes our homes and community safer by minimizing impact to the environment.

For further details about the proper disposal of medications, visit the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency website, or check with the base pharmacy.
Roche said, there are several reasons people may have leftover medications:

- They may have felt better and stopped antibiotics early.

- Their pain may have resolved and left so they had extra tablets.

- Their problem may have been temporary or seasonal, like certain allergies.

Leftover medications should never be taken the next time someone feels sick, nor should they be shared. A person's medical condition changes over time, and what was once an appropriate medication may cause serious harm or death. Always seek advice of a medical professional before resuming the use of any prescription medication. These actions can also lead to potential misuse or abuse.

Drug Take Back Day addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Medicines that sit unused in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse, accidental poisonings and overdoses are alarmingly high due to these drugs, Roche said.

According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number of those who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin and inhalants combined. That same study revealed more than 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain relievers received them from friends or relatives, a statistic which includes raiding their family's medicine cabinets.

The Air Force's zero tolerance policy on drug abuse applies to the use of illicit drugs and to the wrongful use and distribution of controlled prescription medications. Controlled substances are prescription drugs with a potential for abuse that can lead to addiction and dependence. The warning label on controlled medication prescriptions reads as follows, "CAUTION: Federal law prohibits the transfer of this drug to any person other than the patient for whom it was prescribed." It is a crime to share, possess or use someone else's controlled medication. This act is punishable under Article 112a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Wrongful use of medications may result in forfeiture of pay, loss of rank, dishonorable discharge or confinement.

During the nationally scheduled event in April, Americans turned in approximately 742,000 pounds of medications at nearly 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. Since 2011, 71 Air Force facilities have collected in abundance of 6,800 pounds.

Help safeguard your family's health and your career by disposing of unused prescription medications appropriately. For questions and information regarding this event, call the 4th Medical Group Pharmacy at (919) 722-1814 or (919) 722-1998.