The DEA is asking people to remove unused prescription drugs from their homes and dispose of them properly.
People will be able to drop off those drugs at specific locations during DEA’s National Drug Take-Back Day event, which will continue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Anyone can bring in unwanted or expired medicines and dispose of them anonymously. Be sure to place the tablets in a container. Loose tablets will not be accepted. In most locations, people who want to dispose of prescription drugs, creams, and patches must request a drug inactivation pouch from Deterra. This pouch is used at home to inactivate and dispose of the product.
DEA Drug Take Back Days are held twice a year, once in April and once in October.
How to find a collection point near you
can be used DEA Collection Location Search Tool To find a collection location near you.
You can enter a zip code, county, city, or state to search within a radius of 10, 25, 50, or 100 miles or more.
—> Substance Use Disorder Resource Guide: How to Find Treatment and Harm Reduction Services in Michigan
Signs of opioid overdose
According to the CDC, the following are signs of overdose.
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Small and constricted “pinpoint pupils”
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Dozing off or losing consciousness
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slow, weak, or absent breathing
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choking or gurgling
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limp body
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My skin is cold and sticky
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skin discoloration (especially lips and nails)
If you believe someone is experiencing an overdose, you should immediately call 911 and administer naloxone if available. Wake the patient up and let him breathe, move him to the side to prevent suffocation, and stay with him until help arrives.
Michigan passed the Good Samaritan Law in 2016. This law prevents drug possession charges against people seeking medical assistance for an overdose under certain circumstances.
read: Can just touching fentanyl lead to an overdose? Many health experts say no
Testing drugs for the presence of fentanyl
According to the CDC, it’s nearly impossible to tell if a drug is laced with fentanyl unless you test it with fentanyl test strips.
This test strip was originally intended for urine drug testing, but is used off-label to reduce the harm that drugs can cause.
Test strips are inexpensive and provide results within 5 minutes. The CDC said it remains cautious even if the test is negative because the test strips may not be able to detect more potent fentanyl-like drugs, such as carfentanil. Test strips may also show false positives or false negatives.
Fentanyl is found in heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, and other street drugs.
For more information, see the following resources:
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