DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Removes More Than 19,000 Pounds of Unwanted Medications Across Midwest Region

OMAHA, Neb. – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) joined 4,306 law enforcement agencies across the country in collecting 642,410 pounds of unneeded and expired medications at the 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, April 25. Of the nationwide total, more than 19,000 pounds were collected from 159 Take Back locations set up across the five state DEA Omaha Field Division.

“The success of this event is in part because of our tremendous partners who assist in coordinating drop off locations which allow our community members to safely rid their homes of unwanted medications,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “We’re grateful for their continued support in our efforts to remove potentially dangerous substances from our neighborhoods.”

Since its inception in 2010, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has collected

21,034,225 pounds – the equivalent of more than 10,500 tons – of unnecessary medications from homes to help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the risk of accidental overdoses and poisonings. In the Midwest, community members in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota have combined to dispose of 725,265 of those total nationwide pounds.

For those unable to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are more than 16,500 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses, in addition to many police departments, that offer safe medication disposal year-round. For information on permanent drop boxes, please visit DEA’s Every Day is Take Back Day page.

“Don’t let Take Back Day be a one-and-done event in your household,” Gillespie said. “Locate a year-round collection site and dispose of medications on a more frequent basis, making your home safer while keeping potentially dangerous substances out of the hands of those who might misuse them.”

Complete results for DEA’s Spring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are available on DEA’s Take Back Day page.