MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hosting its 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this weekend.
The bi-annual event runs Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's a chance to safely get rid of old, unwanted or no longer needed medication that the DEA said too often becomes a gateway to addiction.
There are more than 13,000 year-round drop-off locations nationwide, including those at police departments, pharmacies, hospitals and businesses. Additionally, with the passage of the DUMP Opioids Act in 2021, drop boxes are also available at VA health facilities.
“I encourage everyone to participate in the National Prescription Drug Takeback Day and take just a few minutes to rid their homes of any unneeded or expired medications,” said Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Louisville Division. “This small act will go a long way in making our communities safer, by providing safe disposal and keeping prescription drugs out of the wrong hands.”
According to a press release, drug overdose deaths are up 16% in the last year, claiming more than 290 lives every day.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend.
The CDC estimates that in the United States, more than 106,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, marking the most drug-related deaths ever recorded.
The DEA and law enforcement partners will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs, as well as vaping devices and cartridges with the lithium batteries removed. They won't accept liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs.