National Prescription Drug Take Back Day took place on Oct. 28 and Colorado reports over 8,000 pounds were removed from medicine cabinets across the state.
The Rocky Mountain Field Division team collected prescription medications from over 200 sites throughout Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. A total of 18,500 pounds of medications were collected in the region with Utah supplying the most with around 8,200 pounds.
A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration stated that most people who use prescription medications for nonmedical purposes obtain it from a family or friend.
“Removing unnecessary medications from the home can help prevent situations involving; not taking medication as intended or dosed; taking someone else’s prescription; and taking the medicine for euphoric effects rather than medicinal purposes,” a news release from the Rocky Mountain DEA stated.
There are over 17,000 permanent drop boxes located across the U.S. for people to remove any unnecessary medication from their homes on a regular basis.
“We want to thank everyone who participated in DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this fall in an effort to make our communities safer and healthier,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “Take Back Day is a community-wide effort that we cannot accomplish without our law enforcement partners and the public’s participation. We appreciate everyone who took the time to clean out their medicine cabinets and protect their loved ones.”
