New Head of the DEA Acknowledges the Obvious…

While Dr. Volkow’s endorsement in the Huffington Post is nothing short of glowing, Rosenberg, who made his comments on a conference call about a new prescription drug take-back program at the DEA, was much more qualified with his statements about the whole plant.

Following a bipartisan push by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and eight of their colleagues, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has announced that it will reinstate Prescription Drug Take-Back Days, an initiative to encourage the responsible disposal of expired or unwanted prescription drugs. This site will be continuously updated with new take-back locations.

The next Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is set for September 26th, 2015.

Rosenberg, who has a long résumé with the Department of Justice, serving as U.S. attorney in Virginia and Texas, has extensive experience in drug prosecution and immigrant prosecution. Studies show that many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

Despite the profound nature of his declaration, Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg felt the need to qualify his statement on Tuesday with every politician’s safety net; ‘But I’m not an expert.’ Seemingly cloaked in a fog of mystery, the new head of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) remains adamant that while “heroin probably is more risky than marijuana”, he still thinks marijuana is a problem.

According to drugabuse.gov the most the classes of prescription drugs most commonly abused are: opioid pain relievers, such as Vicodin or Oxycontin; stimulants for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), such as Adderall, Concerta, or Ritalin; and central nervous system (CNS) depressants for relieving anxiety, such as Valium or Xanax.1 The most commonly abused OTC drugs are cough and cold remedies containing dextromethorphan. They know how to dispose of the prescriptions.