DEA Omaha Division Safely Disposes of 20,628 Pounds of Unused Medications on 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

OMAHA, Neb – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division joined forces with 155 law enforcement agencies across the five-state region to safely dispose of 20,628 pounds of unneeded and expired medications at the 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, April 26. Nationally, more than 620,000 pounds of prescription medications were removed from communities in an effort to prevent drug misuse and abuse.

“We’re grateful to everyone who took time out of their Saturday to drop off medications for safe disposal,” DEA Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Your actions will have ripple effects as younger generations watch what you do, learn the importance of tossing out old and unused medications and follow suit in the years ahead. Thank you for helping make our communities safer and healthier.”

Since its inception 16 years ago, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans dispose of nearly 19.8 million pounds of medications. Of that total, the DEA Omaha Division, consisting of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, has collected 688,426 pounds. The Take Back Day on April 26, marked the DEA Omaha Division’s highest Spring collection since 2021, when 37,355 pounds were removed.

If you missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day or want to clean your medicine cabinet out on a routine basis, safe disposal options are available year-round. Nearly 17,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and other authorized collectors nationwide continue to provide secure medication drop boxes, and many police departments offer permanent collection locations. To find a year-round drop off location, visit Every Day is Take Back Day.

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