WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC), the nation's largest privately funded public health campaign preventing prescription drug abuse, announced today, the creation of a national online directory of permanent prescription drug collection boxes for the collection of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine.

The directory created in cooperation with local, county and state law enforcement is available on americanmedicinechest.com. Currently, the directory includes collection sites in 11 states and will be updated daily. The directory will contain an interactive map of each state's permanent collection sites.

"Having access to a list of permanent collections boxes will help parents and grandparents protect the young people in their lives by safely disposing of their unused, unwanted, and expired medicine," explained AMCC Chief Executive Officer Angelo M. Valente. "AMCC calls on residents to see their medicine cabinets through new eyes -- as an access point for potential misuse and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicine by young people."

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reports 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtained them from friends or relatives, and, there has been a 400% increase in substance abuse treatment admissions for people abusing prescription drugs.

Prescription drug abuse results in one death every 19 minutes in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Valente encouraged all residents to take the American Medicine Chest 5-Step Challenge:  taking inventory and securing medicine in the home, disposing of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine, taking medicine only as prescribed, and talking to children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

AMCC is a not-for-profit community based public health initiative, with over 500 community and law enforcement partnerships in 46 states, designed to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and provide safe disposal options – at a collection site or in the home - of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine.

AMCC is sponsored by PhRMA, The American College of  Emergency Physicians, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, the Partnership at DrugFree.org, and Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

SOURCE American Medicine Chest Challenge

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http://www.americanmedicinechest.com