With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration announces its 20th Take Back Day is scheduled for April 24th. At its last Take Back Day in October, DEA collected a record-high amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs. With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the COVID-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.
The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at collection sites which will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at its drop off locations provided lithium batteries are removed.
Helping people dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce addiction and stem overdose deaths.
Learn more about the event and find a local collection site at www.deatakeback.com, or by calling 800-882-9539.
REHOBOTH EVENT IS BEING HELD AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT 10am-2pm.
The Rehoboth Police Department in conjunction with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration will be hosting the 2nd “Prescription Drug Take Back Program” at the Rehoboth Police Department located at 334 Anawan Street, Rehoboth, Ma. on Saturday April 30, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Any citizen from any community may drop off prescription drugs during this take back program with no questions asked. All citizens have to do is drive up in front of police headquarters and hand the prescription drugs to the officers on hand and drive off. Rehoboth Police Officers and Agents from the DEA will be on hand to accept the prescription drugs and they will be incinerated under the direction of the DEA. This event will remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our community and will dispose of them properly. Rehoboth PD collaborated with DEA for the first time for this program in September of 2010 and achieved tremendous success in safely disposing of these unused prescription drugs. I would like to encourage all Rehoboth residents and those of nearby communities to check their medicine cabinets or shelves for unused or expired medications. This will help us to ensure that prescription medications will not make it onto the streets and into the wrong hands. Sergeant Mark Rossi will be coordinating this event for the Rehoboth Police Department. This is part of a national event taking place around the country on April 30th. Your support for this program is encouraged and greatly appreciated.