Naval Station Rota and U.S. Naval Hospital Rota want your unwanted and/or expired prescription drugs during the 14th semi-annual Drug Take Back Day, Oct. 28.

Local beneficiaries can properly dispose of their medication in front of the Navy Exchange from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are strongly encouraged to take advantage in this free and anonymous service, no questions asked.

Hospital corpsmen will be standing by ready to accept prescription and over-the-counter drugs including; pills, ointments, lotions, powders and liquids (if less than four ounces).

"We're holding this event to create awareness on why properly disposing of medicine is important," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Elyon Aquino, U.S. Naval Hospital Rota pharmacy technician. " It prevents poisoning of children and pets and deters misuse by teenagers and adults. People can avoid health problems from accidently taking the wrong medicine, taking too much or taking medicine that is too old to work properly anymore."

The Military Health System established the Drug Take Back program seven years ago and aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse and medications. It is available at all military treatment facility pharmacies in United States and U.S. Territories.

Last April, Americans turned in more than 450 tons of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds, or more than 4,050 tons of pills.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription pain drugs are the second-most commonly abused category of drugs in the U.S. The availability of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription drugs are a major contributor to prescription drug abuse. More than 70 percent of prescription pain drug abuse involved drugs obtained from a friend or relative, and nearly one third of suicide attempts among veterans involve prescription medication. Beneficiaries can reduce these risks by safely disposing their drugs through the Drug Take Back program.

By encouraging the proper disposal of these medications, the program seeks to diminish the amount of readily available surplus prescription drugs that have the potential to be misused or abused by service members and their family and friends. The program also gives beneficiaries an environmentally responsible way to dispose of medications.

Naval Station Rota, which is part of, Navy Region EURAFSWA, provides operational platforms ashore that enable U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.

Just as ship performs lines of operation that provide a capability, Navy Region EURAFSWA bases perform the same eight lines of operation to provide capability to the fleet, joint and allied forces. These eighth lines of operation are: air operations, port operations, safety, security, housing, MWR, Fleet and Fleet and Family Services and what is called the core: the fuels, water and power that keep the bases running. Through our lines of operation, our installations are force multipliers that maximize combat capability of operational units.

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