Toby Talbot/AP
Hydrocodone-acetaminophen pills, also known as Vicodin, are arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt.
Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 | 2 a.m.
Leftover or expired prescription pills can be misused or stolen, contributing to the drug epidemic in the U.S., officials said.
That’s why Southern Nevadans on Oct. 27 will be able to safely dispose of the drugs at several locations as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Since the campaign launched seven years ago, 5,000 tons of pharmaceuticals have been collected across the country, according to the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
A 2016 study unearthed that roughly 6.2 million Americans had misused prescription drugs, the DEA said. The study found that most illicitly obtained pharmaceuticals came from loved ones or home medicine cabinets, and sometimes taken during burglaries.
“Whatever the case, don’t be a dealer; keep them safe; clean them out, take them back,” said a narrator in a DEA-broadcast public service ad.
“I encourage all Nevadans to be a part of a solution to this nationwide problem by disposing of any unwanted and unneeded prescription drugs,” said Nevada AG Adam Laxalt in a news release. “Disposing of opioids in your medicine cabinet in a safe and timely manner has never been more important to the health and safety of our communities.”
In the Las Vegas area, the drugs can discarded from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at:
Metro Police’s Enterprise Area Command substation, 6975 W. Windmill Lane; Metro’s Northwest Area Command substation, 9850 W. Cheyenne Ave., and North Las Vegas Police’s Northwest Area Command station, 3755 W. Washburn Road.
The free service is anonymous but is limited to pills. Liquids and needles will not be accepted, according to officials.
For more information, visit takebackday.dea.gov.
