Drug Enforcement Administration hosts ‘Take Back Day’
April 24 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It's a chance for people around the state to dispose of their unwanted, unused and expired medication.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – April 24 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) encourages the community to dispose of their unwanted, unused and expired medication. Nebraska has 29 collection sites across the state for people to dispose of it safely and anonymously.
It’s all an effort to help end the national opioid crisis in the nation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 86,000 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending August 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month span.
Omaha DEA public information officer Emily Murray said it’s easy to find collection sites.
“Every day is Take Back Day,” Murray said. “There’s lots of local police departments, sheriffs offices and agencies that collect prescription medication in a safe, secure and anonymous way.”‘
Murray said if you can’t make it to a collection site there are ways to dispose of medication safely at home. She suggested mixing it with an undesirable substance such as cat litter, sealing it with a garbage bag and throwing it away. Murray said you should never share your medication with others, as it is designed specifically for an individual. Also, never flush down medication through a toilet.
To learn more about Take Back Day and to locate a collection site near you, visit www.deatakeback.com, or by calling 800-882-9539.
