Over 240,000 Pounds of Medications Collected During First-Ever Nationwide DEA Drug Take-Back Day

October 14, 2010 9:41 am

Collecting approximately 242,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals, DEA, in collaboration with state and local law enforcement agencies, successfully coordinated the first-ever national drug take-back day. Nearly 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, managing more than 4,000 different collection sites, participated in the event, which was held September 25, 2010. On that day, people across the nation dropped off their expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications from 10 AM to 2 PM to their local law enforcement officers. This nationwide initiative was conducted in an effort to reduce the potential risks caused by the accumulation of unused prescription medications.

By removing these potentially dangerous controlled substances from the nation’s medicine cabinets, DEA is taking steps to eliminate a major source of abused prescription drugs. NABP shares this focus and offered its full support to DEA during the nationwide initiative. Others involved in the September 25 event included the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Partnership for a Drug Free America, The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association of Attorneys General, the Federation of State Medical Boards, and the National District Attorneys Association.