Coloradans Properly Dispose Of Prescription Drugs At 'Take Back' Event

DENVER (CBS4) - Prescription drug abuse kills more than twice as many people in Colorado than drunk drivers. That's why drug "take back" events are so important, promoting proper disposal of unused prescriptions.

Bottles of unused and old prescription drugs were taken back Saturday as part of a national effort to properly dispose of the drugs. At locations all across the Denver metro area people dropped them off with no questions asked.

"My wife is very, very careful about what happens with these drugs," Glen Monigle said.

Monigle is just one of many people with years' worth of prescription drugs sitting around at home. He and others didn't know what to do with them until now.

"I'm sure I've flushed stuff down the toilet and in the past when stuff has expired and those kinds of things, but this is a convenient way to get rid of stuff like that and know that it'll be handled properly," Bryan Wilky said.

"They're very toxic and if you flush them down the toilet it's going to contaminate our waterways," David Schiller with the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Drugs left in the trash can fall into the wrong hands.

Those who missed an opportunity to discard of prescription drugs at the drug take back program can still discard of them safely at home. Mix the pills with kitty litter or coffee grounds and dispose of them in the household trash.

At the take back event, DEA agents were on hand to make sure the drugs were properly disposed of. The service allows peace of mind for families concerned about their children's safety.

"One of the most dangerous things is in your own medicine cabinet," Wilky said.

If you missed Saturday's event and still want to drop off your old or expired medications, check with your local pharmacy.