National Take Back Day collects nearly 630,000 pounds of medication

This year’s National Take Back Day ended with the Drug Enforcement Agency, working with 4,400 law enforcement partners, collecting nearly 630,000 pounds of unused medications.

On Nov. 8, the DEA announced that collections sites at 4,600 locations nationwide helped to remove unused drugs from homes and prevent misuse before it starts.

The DEA Seattle Field Division, which covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, collected 17,062, with 5,726 pounds coming from Washington.

The DEA cited a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), that the majority of people who misuse prescription medication for a non-medical purpose got that medication from a family member or friend.

Outside of National Take Back Day, the DEA has expanded the collection to nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses that offer safe medication disposal every single day of the year.

You can find a year-round drop-off location on the DEA website.

Complete results for DEA’s fall National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available here.

©2024 Cox Media Group