The event, held October 24, was the DEA’s 31st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and included 4,212 collection sites nationwide, including 64 locations serving tribal communities. More than 4,200 law enforcement partners participated in the initiative.
According to the DEA, the program has collected a total of 21,679,861 pounds of unused, unwanted and expired medications since its launch in 2010. That total equals more than 10,840 tons of medications removed from homes and communities across the United States.
“Twice a year communities across the country come together for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to help remove unused and unwanted medications from homes, reducing the risk of misuse, accidental poisonings, and overdoses,” said Terry Cole, administrator of the DEA. “The collection of more than 645,000 pounds of medications this fall reflects the continued commitment of the public and our law enforcement partners to keep families safe.”
The DEA noted that safe medication disposal remains one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of prescription drugs being misused, stolen or accidentally consumed by children and others.
For residents who missed the October collection event, the DEA said more than 15,300 pharmacies, hospitals, businesses and law enforcement locations nationwide offer year-round medication disposal options through permanent collection programs.
The agency encourages the public to use approved disposal locations to safely dispose of expired or unwanted medications and help keep potentially dangerous drugs out of circulation.
Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
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