Drug Take Back Today in Middlefield

If you've got unwanted or expired prescription drugs in your medicine cabinet, today's the day to get rid of them.

The Middlefield Resident State Trooper's office is taking part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by encouraging residents to drop off their drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 405 Main Street, Middlefield.

The drop-off location is open to both Middlefield and Durham residents.

“Safe disposal of unused and unwanted prescription medications is an effective way of getting potentially dangerous substances out of medicine cabinets," said Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen. "By partnering with our local and state law enforcement through National Take Back Day, the DEA has made it easy for Connecticut residents to help join the effort to reduce prescription drug abuse in our state.” 

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 90 percent of addictions start in the teenage years. Prescription medications are now the most commonly used drugs among 12 to 13 year olds. Two-thirds of teens who abuse pain relievers say they get them from their family members and friends

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more Americans die from drug overdoses than in car crashes, and this increasing trend is driven by prescription painkiller overdoses.

 This past April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds – 276 tons – of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In its four previous TakeBack events, DEA and its partners took in over 1.5 million pounds – nearly 775 tons – of medication.