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DEA's 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has highest-ever partner participation

WASHINGTON – With participation nationwide, Drug Enforcement Administration and its law enforcement partners have collected nearly 12 million pounds of unused or expired prescription medications over the course of 17 successful DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back events. During the 17th semiannual event, April 27, the Take Back initiative saw new records for the numbers of law enforcement partners and collection sites. Together with these local, state, tribal and federal partners – more than 5,000 total – at nearly 6,400 collection sites, DEA collected and destroyed close to 469 tons of potentially dangerous unwanted drugs.

This addition brings the total amount of drugs collected by DEA since fall 2010 to 11,816,393 pounds, or 5,908 tons.

“The ever-increasing public support and continuously growing numbers of partners and collection sites are a true testament to the value of DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back program,” acting administrator Uttam Dhillon said. “Just as DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to ending the opioid epidemic, our communities recognize that this is a pervasive and heartbreaking crisis. DEA Take Back Day gives every American a way to help by simply cleaning out their medicine cabinets.”

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events raise awareness of the link between unused medications and addiction and overdose deaths. The public has embraced the opportunity these events provide to remove medicines languishing in the home that are highly susceptible to misuse, abuse and theft, according to the DEA. Public demand for safe and secure drug disposal has also resulted in a significant increase in year-round drug drop boxes at law enforcement facilities, pharmacies and elsewhere, making drug disposal even more convenient, the agency said.

Complete results for DEA’s spring Take Back Day are available at http://www.DEATakeBack.com. Video of DEA’s Take Back Day collections being weighed and destroyed is available at https://youtu.be/5y_LCuJvWRs.

DEA’s next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Oct. 26.

Submitted by Drug Enforcement Administration.

 

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