EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and over 4,400 law enforcement partners collected nearly 630,000 pounds of unused medications at 4,600 locations nationwide during its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event held in October.
Photos courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
The DEA El Paso Division collected 1,657 pounds of unused medication in West Texas and 3,393 pounds in New Mexico.
Since its inception, DEA’s event has removed nearly 19.2 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across our country, according to the DEA.
The majority of people who misuse prescription medication for a non-medical purpose get that medication from a family member or friend, according to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
“DEA continues to expand opportunities to make safe disposal of medications more accessible nationwide. There are nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses that offer safe medication disposal every single day of the year. In addition, many police departments also provide permanent drop boxes,” read the news release.
To find a year-round drop-off location, visit Every Day is Take Back.
DEA’s fall National Prescription Drug Take Back Day results are available at deatakeback.com.
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