DEA Hosts 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday UPDATE WITH CNCAA INTERVIEW

Listen to an interview with Jessica Mayes of the Prevention Project below about the Take Back event in Grand Island at the 2nd street Super Saver from 12p-2p Saturday.

OMAHA, Neb. – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Field Division in partnership with law enforcement agencies across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, will host 132 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day locations in which unused, unnecessary and expired prescription medications will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, October 25.

The 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event provides Americans a way to safely and anonymously dispose of medications at nearly 4,000 collection sites across the country, in an effort to prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.

DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs. Syringes, sharps and illicit drugs will not be collected. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should be securely sealed in their original containers.

“The DEA is proud to partner with our state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on an event intended to help families safely dispose of unused and expired prescription medications,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “The event is free, anonymous and convenient and provides another opportunity for communities to come together and have open conversations about the dangers of drug experimentation.”  

Since 2010, a staggering 20 million pounds of unused medications have been collected at Take Back Day events. Across the five state DEA Omaha Field Division, 688,426 pounds, equivalent to roughly 168 average-sized cars in weight, have been collected through 28 prior events.

“DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects our shared commitment to protecting the American people from drug-related harm,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said. “This effort brings together law enforcement, public health, and communities in a unified mission – keeping homes safe, preventing the misuse of prescription drugs before it starts, and saving lives. Every prescription drug turned in represents one less opportunity for tragedy and one more act of protection for our families and neighborhoods.”

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications.

For more information or to find a location nearest you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com. 

If you are unable to participate in this National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, there are nearly 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 Every Day is Take Back Day.

Other law enforcement and locations in the region: 
-ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WALMART Hastings
-ST. PAUL POLICE DEPARTMENT HOWARD COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER St. Paul
-MERRICK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TRAV'S U SAVE PHARMACY Central City
-BUFFALO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CHI KEARNEY GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL North Parking Lot Kearney