DEA Brings in Record Amount of Unused Prescription Drugs on National Prescription Take Back Day

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and more than 4,200 of its law enforcement and community partners collected more unused prescription drugs than at any of the 12 previous National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events.

On Saturday, April 29, the event brought in 900,386 pounds (450 tons) at close to 5,500 sites across the nation. Marking the 13th National Prescription Take Back Day since September 2010, these events have altogether collected 8,103,363 pounds (4,052 tons) of prescription drugs.  Locally the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office collected 4 pounds that day and 72 pounds through the drop box at the Sheriff’s Office. 

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths.

"Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands.  That's dangerous and often tragic,” said Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg.  “That's why it was great to see thousands of folks from across the country clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in - safely and anonymously - a record amount of prescription drugs." 

DEA’s next National Prescription Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28, 2017.

In the more than two years since new regulations made the disposal of controlled prescription drugs easier for patients and their caregivers, law enforcement agencies, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics have begun continuous collection of these medications. Between Take Back Days please utilized the Drop Box at the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office during business hours for all medications or Lee’s Pharmacy for non-controlled medications.  Neither of these places can take back sharps/needles.  Please discuss with your doctor how to dispose of your sharps/needles. 

For more information on how to dispose of your unused or expired medications please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.  You may also want to visit the DEA Site at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/. 

Article from the DEA Press Release on May 8, 2017 in Washington D.C.