Here's a few scary numbers... According to a 2019 Survey almost 10 Million Americans misused prescription pain relievers, another 5 and 6 million made the same mistake with Stimulants and Sedatives respectively. What's scarier is some of these prescriptions have also found their way into the hands of others being sold under the table or worse have led to many countless incidents where children have found themselves getting hands on these medications leading to calls to poison control centers nationwide that don't need to happen.

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Now we have all had prescriptions written for us at one time or another and perhaps we never finished the dosing or the reason to take the prescription has come and gone. So what happens next? Often times these guys just sit in our medicine cabinets taking up space until the end of time or we decide to throw them out or flush them away which may not be the best thing for the planet. By the way... let me say that again.. Don't flush them down the toilet... We got enough in the water these days.

How to safely get rid of these medications.

The DEA is hosting National Take Back Day here in Amarillo Saturday, April 24th. There are two drop off locations here in the area. The first being over at the Randall County Sheriffs' Office over at 9100 S. Georgia or the Texas Tech School of Medicine's Hodge School of Pharmacy at 1300 S. Coulter.

The Texas Tech site also will be taking unneeded syringes, lancets, or needles as well and offers a drive-thru format to help with distancing and separation.

If you can't make the event this weekend there's a pretty handy search tool to help you get rid of your medications here.