MSSU Police participating in Drug Take-Back

The MSSU Police Department is once again partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to be a host site for the “National Prescription Drug Take-Back Program.”

Individuals may drop off the prescription drugs at the University Police Department at 726 N. Mission Hills Drive between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., beginning Monday, April 22 and ending on Saturday, April 27.

“Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem nationally on college campuses,” said Ken Kennedy, MSSU Police Chief. “So we want to assist our students, faculty and staff in properly disposing of old or unwanted medications.”

Please be advised that MSSU Police will not take needles and syringes.

The program addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

During the previous Take-Back in October of 2018 – 914,236 pounds of drugs were collected at 5,839 sites nationwide.