Prescription filled on Friday, January 6, 2023 in Morganton, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
DENVER (KDVR) — Several agencies across Colorado participated. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Over 5 tons of unwanted prescription drugs were recovered this past weekend.
On the last Saturday of April and October each year, many agencies across the country participate in events led by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This is an opportunity for people to safely dispose of prescription drugs they no longer need, don’t need, or have expired.
According to the DEA, the goal is to encourage people to “remove unnecessary drugs from their homes as a means of preventing drug abuse and opioid addiction from occurring again.”
The DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division announced that approximately 13 tons of unwanted prescription drugs were collected Saturday within the agency, which includes states such as Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.
Despite the damp weather, 10,017 pounds of prescription drugs were recovered in Colorado on Saturday, according to the DEA. An additional 12,530 pounds were raised in Utah, 935 pounds in Wyoming, and 2,270 pounds in Montana.
This was announced by the Lakewood Police Department. raised £111the Wheat Ridge Police Department said. raised £126.
Last October, 4,383 law enforcement agencies across the United States participated in the take-back event, collecting a total of approximately 300 tons. The DEA reported that 7,988 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs were collected in Colorado due to this incident.
Where do prescription drugs that are no longer needed go after they are collected?
According to the local DEA division, the unwanted drugs are bagged, placed in boxes, and transported to local DEA divisions in semi-trucks driven by contractors.
When unwanted prescription drugs reach a specified disposal designation, they are “incinerated in a safe and effective manner.”
How to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs in Colorado
The DEA says:Every day is takeback day,”, which includes approximately 17,000 participating pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses across the United States.
Drop-off location open 365 days a year You can find it through the DEA Diversion Management Division’s online tools. Enter your postal code or city and select your search range to generate a list of nearby collection points.
Here is a list of drop-off locations in Colorado:.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 14,675 people died from prescription opioid addiction or overdose last year, so the DEA says it’s important to clean out your medicine cabinet and prevent drug abuse before it starts. ing.
