DEA Announces 11th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
Event will take place on Saturday, April 30th between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA - Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) Philadelphia Field Division will conduct its 11th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event across Pennsylvania and Delaware on April 30 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
As with previous Take-Back events, approximately 300 collection sites will be available across Pennsylvania and Delaware for the public to anonymously and safely dispose of their unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for free. A list of collection sites in communities across Pennsylvania and Delaware can be found by going to www.dea.gov.
During the DEA’s last Take-Back event in September 2015, Americans turned in 350 (over 702,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,800 sites operated by its state and local law enforcement partners. Over the 10 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 5.5 million pounds -- more than 2,750 tons -- of prescription drugs.
The Take-Back initiative addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Rates of prescription drug abuse across the country are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. In addition, Americans are now advised that the usual methods for disposing of unused prescription drugs, such as flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, pose potential safety and health hazards.
“Prescription drug abuse has reached an epidemic level across the county. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in their home cabinets are highly susceptible to illegal diversion, misuse, and abuse,” said Tuggle. “I am encouraging the public to take full advantage of this free service that the DEA offers to safely dispose of their prescription medicine.”
For more information about the Take-Back event, please contact DEA Public Information Officer/Special Agent Patrick J. Trainor at (215) 852-8740 or patrick.j.trainor@usdoj.gov.
