News Flash

Roswell Neighborhood Watch, working with the Roswell Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will again offer citizens an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

The public can bring unwanted and unneeded prescription drugs to the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Neighborhood Watch office at 426 N. Main Street (corner of Fifth and North Main streets). The service is free and those bringing prescription drugs can remain anonymous, no questions asked. Please note, however, the DEA – which will dispose of the collected items – cannot accept liquids or needles, only pills or patches.

This is the 12th time in six years this type of event has been held in Roswell. Each event has seen citizens turn in hundreds of pounds of pills. A wide variety of agencies throughout New Mexico and nationally participate in Prescription Drug Take Back Day throughout New Mexico and nationally.

This initiative addresses a public safety and public health issue. According to the DEA, medicines that languish in home cabinets are susceptible to misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, officials say a couple of often-used methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take Back Day event, visit the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control website (link below). People can also call Steve Halvorson or Richard Lucero at Roswell Neighborhood Watch at (575) 622-7233 for more information about the local event for Take Back Day.