The Drug Enforcement Administration holds National Take Back Day biannually to remove unused or expired prescriptions from residents around the United States. Oct. 28 will mark the 25th Take Back Day.
According to the DEA website, “The DEA is committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths. While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, we are doing our part to further reduce drug-related violence.”
The last Take Back Day took place on April 22 when 663,725 pounds of prescription drugs were collected across the United States.
Texas collected more drugs than any other state with 47,695 pounds; the state also had the most collection sites with 225.
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“By disposing of these drugs properly it will help to reduce the possibility of those drugs falling into the wrong hands, as well as preventing them from possibly contaminating the water supply if they were to be flushed down the toilet or washed down a sink. This is just a great way for citizens to dispose of medications they no longer need in a safe way,” Chief of Police Mitch Galvan said.
Medications may be dropped off at the police department located at 2050 NE Loop 567 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information on Take Back Day or to learn more about how prescription drugs can affect someone visit dea.gov/takebackday.
To find a different location to dispose of medications, make use of the collection site locator via the DEA website at https://www.dea.gov/takebackday#collection-locator.