663,725 pounds of unneeded medications collected on Drug Take Back Day

Program has been ongoing since 2010

(Story Courtesy of Kentucky Today)

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and its law enforcement partners announced Monday they came together to halt prescription misuse by safely disposing of 663,725 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites nationwide.

This means that since its inception in 2010, DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has removed more than 17 million pounds of unnecessary medications from communities across the  United States.

Within the DEA’s Louisville Field Division, which includes Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, 22,510 pounds of unused, expired and unnecessary medications were collected, during the one-day event on April 22.  Kentucky collected the most in the division, with 8,687 pound, followed by Tennessee, with 8,211 pounds and West Virginia with 5,612 pounds.

“Communities across the country again answered the call to rid their homes of unneeded medications to protect loved ones from deadly drugs and drug poisonings,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.  “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day continues to protect our communities and create healthier environments by offering safe disposal of prescription medications.”

Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications, which are those that are old, unwanted, or expired.  According to the DEA, these medications can be a gateway to addiction, and have helped fuel the opioid epidemic. 

“I want to thank everyone throughout Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia who took the time to clean out their medicine cabinets and support National Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” said Louisville Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott.  “Your participation is vital to keeping prescription drugs out of the wrong hands and our communities are safer and healthier due to your efforts.”

DEA continues to expand opportunities to make safe disposal of medications more accessible nationwide. A list of permanent drug-drop boxes located in communities across the country can be found here.

Safe medication disposal receptacles along with DEA Take Back events provide families easy, no-cost opportunities to get rid of unnecessary medicines stored in the home that can be susceptible to abuse and theft.