230 sites through-out the Pacific Northwest

SEATTLE – This Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its local law enforcement, community and tribal partners in the Pacific Northwest will collect expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications at one of 230 collection sites. There are 19 collection sites in Alaska, 45 in Idaho, 61 in Oregon, and 105 in Washington State.   The service is free of charge, no questions asked.  

DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis of the Pacific Northwest Region emphasized, “All of our Northwest communities need to take this opportunity of disposing unused prescription medications in a safe and simple process. This consciousness effort may be lifesaving.”   

Last October, residents of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska turned in 35,017 pounds (17 tons) of prescription medications.  The following are the results broken down by state:

·       Washington – 98 collection sites which resulted in 15,279 pounds (7.6 tons) removed from circulation.

·       Idaho – 34 collection sites which resulted in 3,269 pounds (1.6 tons) removed from circulation.

·       Oregon – 60 collection sites which resulted in 12,492 pounds (6.2 tons) removed from circulation.

·       Alaska – 19 collection sites which resulted in 3,977 pounds (2 tons) removed from circulation.

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative addresses a critical public safety and public health issue. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States continue to be alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Because the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration have advised the public that flushing their prescription drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards, DEA launched its prescription drug take back program to encourage the safe disposal of medications.

Now in its ninth year, DEA has collected a total of nearly 11 million pounds (more than 5,400 tons) of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications through its Take Back Day events. This weekend, approximately 6,000 collection sites manned by nearly 5,000 partner law enforcement agencies will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The public can find a nearby collection site atwww.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Billy Henry, Founder/Executive Director
Northwest Association for Blind Athletes
311 West Evergreen Blvd, Ste. 200
Vancouver, Washington 98660
Local Phone: 1-360-718-2826
Toll Free: 1-800-880-9837
http://www.nwaba.org
henry@nwaba.org">bhenry@nwaba.org

Northwest Association for Blind Athletes to host 2019 Paralympic Experience in Lynwood, Washington on Friday, April 26th

Vancouver, Washington—April 24th, 2019— Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) announced today that it will be hosting a 2019 Paralympic Experience in Lynnwood, WA. The event is scheduled for Friday, April 26th, 2019 at Hazelwood Elementary School located at 3300 204th SW in Lynwood, WA. It is open to all K-12 students with visual impairments across Washington State. Parents and Teachers of the Visually Impaired are also welcome.

“We are extremely excited to deliver another Paralympic Experience to youth who are blind or visually impaired in Lynwood. This truly life-changing opportunity will introduce participants to sports and physical activity and support NWABA’s long-term vision of drastically enhancing on-going opportunities throughout the Puget Sound to ensure every person with a visual impairment is receiving services they need to reach their greatest potential in all areas of life.,” said Founder & Executive Director, Billy Henry.

The event will give K-12 students with visual impairments an opportunity to participate in Goalball (a sport specifically designed for individuals who are blind and visually impaired), 5-a-side soccer, and Paralympic combine activities. For more information on the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, please contact Billy Henry at 1-360-718-2826, or visit www.nwaba.org

About NWABA:
The mission of Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. A group of visually impaired students formed the Association in 2007 to ensure that people who are blind were participating in sports and physical activity. Today, NWABA is a rapidly expanding charitable organization that provides more than 1,500 children, youth, adults and military veterans with visual impairments tailored programming, which improves self-confidence and self-esteem, promotes independence, creates an inclusive community of supporters, and builds the skills necessary to succeed in all areas of life including school and employment.

For information: http://www.nwaba.org  or
Contact: henry@nwaba.org">bhenry@nwaba.org
Phone:  1-360-718-2826

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