Help Combat Prescription Drug Abuse, Discard Your Old Meds

A free and anonymous service, Prescription Drug "Take-Back" Day aims to combat a "serious problem" in America: prescription drug abuse.

"The abuse of these drugs damages our families and communities," John Arvanitis, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, said in a statement.

"This take-back day is an opportunity for everyone to remove these potentially dangerous prescriptions from their homes, thus diminishing the temptation of illicit use, potential theft and resale of these drugs," he said. "DEA and our law enforcement partners stand together and are committed to this drug take back program."

The one-day effort on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., has three collection sites near Stratford:

• Milford: Milford Senior Center parking lot, 9 Jepson Drive
• Bridgeport: Troop G, 149 Prospect St.
• Orange: Orange Police Department, 314 Lambert Road

The program is free and anonymous. Only prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage medications, i.e. tablets and capsules, will be accepted.

During a September 2012 DEA "Take-Back" initiative, authorities recovered more than 488,000 pounds of unwanted or unneeded prescriptions nationwide.