Be Ready for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Did you know that 70 percent of prescription drug abusers gain access to opioids through people they know? Today, keeping unused medications in your home can be a danger. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day promotes a convenient and responsible way to safely dispose of them.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 28

By clearing out your medicine cabinet, you can be part of the solution to help prevent drug abuse. Prescription drug take-back sites are the safest way to dispose of expired or used medications, prevent abuse, and reduce access.

Here’s how to safely dispose of prescription drugs:

1. Go through your medicine cabinet to find expired or unused drugs.
2. Confirm that all drug containers are sealed. Place them into a clear plastic bag.
3. Drop the plastic bag in to a Prescription Drug Take back drop box near you.

You can also remind friends and family members to do the same. Just have them visit ibxfoundation.org/dropbox to find a take-back site near them.

How we help STOP opioid abuse

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation has been at the forefront of the opioid epidemic in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Through our Supporting Treatment and Overdose Prevention (STOP) initiative, we support the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) biannual National Prescription Drug Takeback Day by raising awareness of disposal sites in the southeast region.

Kaazim Hawkins

Kaazim Hawkins joined the Independence Blue Cross Foundation in 2017. In his current role as a Program Specialist, he is responsible for managing the Foundation’s Addressing Health Priorities grant program, which supports the Healthy Hearts and Supporting Treatment and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Initiatives. Kaazim previously worked as a Business Specialist in Provider Services at IBC and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Community, Environment, and Development from Penn State.