DEA’s Fifth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Results in Another Big Haul
Oct 04, 2012
On Saturday, September 29, DEA’s state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners collected 244 tons of unwanted prescriptions from the public as part of the National Prescription Take-Back Day. Over the last five years, DEA has collected a total of 1,018 tons of unwanted, unused, and expired prescription drugs from people across the country.
This year, DEA and its partners were at more than 5,263 locations around the U.S. to collect the drugs and dispose of them in a safe and responsible way while educating the public about the potential for and dangers of abuse. According to the 2011 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs and more than 70% got the drugs through friends or family. The National Take Back Day is part of the White House’s drug abuse prevention strategy released in 2011.
Learn more: Consequences of Drug Abuse, DEA in the Community
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DEA