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Baltimore, Maryland (April 30, 2011) — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host its second National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The annual event is designed to provide an anonymous, safe, and free venue for disposal of unused prescription drugs.

In 2010, more than 121 tons of pills were turned in to the DEA during its first National Drug Take-Back Day. About 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. In addition, disposing of unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash could lead to public water contamination. Trace amounts of prescription drugs, over-the-counter pain medications, and caffeine have been found as recently as 2008 in the public water supply that supports about 1 million people in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Md., watersheds.

“Unused prescription drugs present a hazard in the home that can easily be removed,” said Winston Wong, Pharm.D., CareFirst Associate Vice President of Pharmacy Management. #8220;There are more than 70 locations available for a quick and anonymous drop off of old prescription drugs in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and it’s worth the time to remove old medications to a safe location where they can be properly disposed.”

To find the collection site nearest to you, simply enter your zip code in the DEA site locator.

“Many do not know that prescription drug abuse is an epidemic. Unused prescription medicines that remain in homes can be misused or abused if they get in the wrong hands of children, family or friends,” said Allan Korn, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). “BCBSA and Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies nationwide are leading efforts to increase patient safety and make it a health care priority, and we commend the DEA’s efforts of providing a safe and easy way for Americans to drop off their unnecessary prescription drugs.”

In its 74th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2010, CareFirst contributed $56 million to community programs designed to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit www.carefirst.com or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CareFirst_News.

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