The Drug Enforcement Administration is expanding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to include vaping products in the wake of a rising number of vaping-related deaths and illnesses, according to NPR.
Drug Take Back Day is an event the DEA started in 2010 in hopes of preventing pill misuse, abuse and theft that now happens twice a year. It allows people to anonymously dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications at collection sites across the country.
As the CDC has reported more than 1,600 lung injury cases and at least 34 deaths related to vaping as of Oct. 22, the DEA decided to allow the disposal of vaping products during the upcoming Drug Take Back Day, which is Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The DEA notes that if any vaping devices have lithium ion batteries in them, they must be removed before the device will be accepted, as batteries can contaminate landfills.
Read the full article here.