POTTSTOWN PA – Borough residents have opportunities today (Saturday, April 30, 2011) in nearby Lower Pottsgrove, North Coventry, Douglass, and Amity (PA) Townships to rid themselves – for free – of old, outdated, unwanted, or no-longer-used prescription medications that pose both a hazard and a temptation for young family members, and which should not be simply discarded.

Law enforcement agencies in those surrounding municipalities and others are participating in the “National Take-Back Day” to collect prescription drugs, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to a 2009 federal study. Each day, about 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time, research conducted for the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows. Studies conclude that a portion of abused prescription drugs are obtained from home medicine cabinets.

That makes family prescription drug abuse a national, and local, problem.

All collection sites for National Take-Back Day can be used by any member of the public, no matter where they live. Participating in today’s event are the:

• Lower Pottsgrove Police Department, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA;
• Douglass Township Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 173 Holly Road, Gilbertsville PA;
• North Coventry Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 86 Glocker Way, Pottstown PA;
• Amity Township Police Department, at its offices, 2004 Weavertown Rd., Douglassville PA;
• Phoenixville Police Department at two locations, Giant Supermarket, 700 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, and at borough hall, 140 Church St.;
• Upper Providence Police Department, at its offices, 1286 Black Rock Rd., Oaks PA;
• Pennsylvania State Police, at its Skippack barracks, 2047-C Bridge Rd., Skippack PA; and
• Lower Frederick Township Police Department, at its offices, 5 Spring Mount Rd., Zieglerville PA.

Pottstown police are not part of today’s event.

National Take Back Day was created last year by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide a way to dispose of unwanted or unused medications. The effort, held in September 2010, was deemed a huge success. About 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies participated nationwide.