National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day: Tribes Will Participate

Law Enforcement administration officials for a number of Indian reservations have signed on to support National Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, October 22. The Drug Enforcement Agency has been encouraging participation in the annual event for years in order to recover prescription drugs from medicine cabinets.

The Office of Justice Services in the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced its cooperation with the DEA in a statement by Deputy Secretary of Indian Affairs Lawrence Roberts. The goal is to prevent drug abuse by having the public voluntarily turn in unused medications rather than have them be potentially found and misused by other household residents including young children.

“By working with the DEA and the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day initiative, we can help reduce the dangers in Indian Country from the misuse and abuse of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs,” Roberts said.  “I want to thank the DEA for continuing with this important initiative and our tribal law enforcement partners for joining with us to protect lives.  I encourage all members of the tribal public to bring their expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs to their nearest participating Indian Country location and help prevent the dangers of prescription drug misuse and abuse in their communities.”