Advocates told members of Congress that Maine's program works because it's simple for the consumer.

Congress should adopt Maine's mail-back program for the disposal of unwanted prescription drugs. That's the advice from Dr. Stevan Gressit, founder of the Maine Institute for Safe Medicine. At a hearing last week before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Gressit said the key to the success of Maine's program is the simplicity of pre-paid mailing envelopes.

"The mail-back program is simple for the consumer, who can request an approved, pre-paid mailer from any of over 100 pharmacy sites across the state," he said. "The mailer includes instructions and an utterly elective survey form. Unused medication is put into the envelope and dropped in the mail. The mail is delivered to a post office box owned by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency."

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency has been receiving a lot of old medications, which it sorts and then has incinerated. Maine Public Safety Commissioner Anne Jordan says there's no question that the program has helped keep some prescription drugs out of the wrong hands.