DEA kicks off second National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is hosting its second National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this weekend, the agency said.

The free event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 30, addresses the proper disposal of unused or expired medications. The DEA is collaborating with government, community, public health and law enforcement partners at more than 5,100 sites nationwide. Collection sites in every local community can be found by going to DEA.gov and clicking on the “Got Drugs?” banner at the top of the homepage, which connects to a database that citizens can search by zip code, city or county.

Last September, Americans turned in more than 242,000 lbs. of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites operated by more than 3,000 of the DEA’s state and local law enforcement partners, the agency said.

“The overwhelming public response to DEA's first nationwide Take-Back event last fall not only rid homes of potentially harmful prescription drugs, but [also] was an unprecedented opportunity to educate everyone about the growing prescription drug abuse problem," said DEA administrator Michele Leonhart. “Studies have shown that, for many, prescription drugs are the very first drugs they abuse — and all too often they aren’t the last. That is why we are committed to helping Americans keep their homes safe by ridding their medicine cabinets of expired, unused and unwanted drugs.”