October 02, 2015
Contact: Public Information Office
Phone Number: (571) 362-1934
For Immediate Release

DEA’S Washington Field Division Announces 42,591 Pounds Of Prescription Drugs Collected During National Take-Back Event

WASHINGTON - Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder, Washington Field Division announced today that 42,591 pounds of prescription drugs were collected in Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia and in Maryland during the DEA Washington Division’s Prescription Drug Take-Back event held Saturday, September 26th.

Total amounts, listed in pounds, that were collected for each state:

Washington, D.C.: 588
Virginia: 27,229
West Virginia: 6,880
Maryland: 7,508

During this Nationwide event, more than 3,800 federal, state and local counterparts took in more than 702,365 pounds of unused, expired or unwanted drugs at more than 5,000 collection sites across the United States.   This was the tenth NTBI event since September 2010; cumulatively, these events have collected 5,525,021 pounds of drugs.

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.