BREAKING NEWS: Urban Outfitters pulls prescription mugs

Just over a month ago, we learned that Urban Outfitters, the national retail store popular with teens, was selling pint glasses, flasks and shot glasses made to look like prescription pill bottles. These products made light of prescription drug misuse and abuse, a dangerous behavior responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than heroin and cocaine combined.

The Partnership launched an advocacy effort and petition to ask the company to remove these products from their stores and website, securing more than 4,700 signatures of support.

It was reported today that Urban Outfitters has halted sale of these products. The retailer shared this statement with CNN:  "In this extensive range of product we recognize that from time to time there may be individual items that are misinterpreted by people who are not our customer. As a result of this misinterpretation we are electing to discontinue these few styles from our current product offering."

We thank Urban Outfitters for listening to the calls, emails and letters of parents and families, health care providers, community and government leaders, and for pulling these products from their stores.

Our efforts don’t end here. Take the Pledge today to #endmedicineabuse. 

news story courtesy of The Partnership at Drugfree.org 

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Photo Credit: Drug Free Homes

Consumers across the U.S. will take part to help prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by disposing of any unneeded or unwanted medications during the sixth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, April 27, 2013. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, consumers may safely dispose of unwanted medications at one of thousands of collection sites coordinated by DEA and provided by law enforcement agencies and community organizations in all 50 states and United States jurisdictions.

In addition, here are three tips, courtesy of The Partnership at DrugFree, to dispose your medicines – and protect your child from the dangers of prescription drugs:

• Participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2013. Find a take-back location near you >
• Find a permanent take-back location near you. If you can’t make it to the National DEA Take-Back Day on April 27th, check out the American Medicine Chest Challenge, which has established a national directory of permanent prescription collection sites in 50 states across the country. Find the center  nearest you and dispose of your medicines today > 
• At-Home Prescription Medication Disposal: If you are unable to attend a drug take-back day or cannot get to a permanent prescription collection site, you can still dispose of your medicines. Because it is bad for our environment (the ground, water and air) to flush medicine down the toilet, try mixing unwanted prescription medicines with coffee grounds or kitty litter. This makes pills less appealing and less recognizable to anyone who can see your trash – including your kids. For more information on at-home disposal, check out this FDA guide.

tips courtesy of The Partnership at Drugfree.org