United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin will join the DEA on April 27th for its 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The biannual event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country, including law enforcements agencies within the Middle District of Louisiana:
ASCENSION PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, 828 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales, LA 70737
BAKER POLICE DEPARTMENT, 1320 Alabama St, Baker, LA 70714
BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 9000 Airline Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70815
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, EBRSO Traffic Office, 9313 Burbank Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70820
PLAQUEMINE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 23540 Railroad Ave, Plaquemine, LA 70764
ST. HELENA PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, 53 N. 2nd Street, Greensburg, LA 70441
WALKER POLICE DEPARTMENT, 828 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales, LA 70737
WEST FELICIANA PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FRED'S PHARMACY, 7130 US-61, St Francisville, LA 70775
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Despite our best intentions, our medicine cabinets can quickly become overstocked and, in some situations, can provide a pathway to addiction. This program provides ordinary citizens an excellent opportunity to anonymously and properly dispose of unwanted prescription drugs with no questions asked. Every effort to prevent drugs from being used illegally is another step toward winning the battle against addiction and abuse."
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley said, “Prescription drug abuse has become the nation’s fastest growing drug epidemic. Last year, more Americans died from opioid overdoses than from all other drugs combined, including meth, cocaine and hallucinogens. Unfortunately, these prescription drugs are most often obtained from friends and family, who leave them in home medicine cabinets. DEA’s Take-Back initiative provides citizens an easy and safe way to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs. Please do your part to keep prescription drugs off the streets and help spread awareness in your community."
Last October Americans turned in 457 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds-more than 5,400 tons-of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.)
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
