DEA’S Prescription Drug Take-Back Effort-- In South And Southeast Texas-- A Big Success
HOUSTON - Thousands of community members across South and Southeast Texas came together to dispose of more than 32, 600 pounds of unused, expired, or unwanted drugs as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day (NTBI) on Saturday, September 26.
This past weekend, from East Texas to Austin to Laredo and across the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas more than 100 federal, state and local agencies collected over 32,600 pounds of unwanted prescription medications at 154 collection sites throughout the Houston Division.
This was the tenth NTBI event since September 2010 which DEA has hosted. Cumulatively, on a national scale, the NTBI events have collected 5,525,021 pounds of drugs.
The NTBI addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.5 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. That same study showed that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s NTBI events are also a significant piece of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s prescription drug abuse prevention strategy.
In his Weekly Address, President Obama spoke about the importance of preventing and treating substance use disorders and called on Americans to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
To learn more about the national pill take back, visit www.dea.gov - .
