Over 26,000 pounds of old prescription medications were collected during last month’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day. That word comes from the office of Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
Justin King, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assistant special agent-in-charge, joined the attorney general in reporting that 26,529 pounds of medication was collected as part of the semi-annual Prescription Drug Take Back held on Saturday, Oct. 27.
“The Prescription Drug Take Back days are an important piece of my collaborative approach to combatting the opioid crisis,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “By safely disposing of more than 26,000 pounds of old, expired or unused prescription medications, we are ensuring these lethal drugs are kept off the streets and out of the hands of our friends and neighbors.”
“The people of the state of Arkansas should be proud of their efforts during the recent Drug Take Back which resulted in the collection and destruction of 26,529 pounds of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs,” said Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge King. “Arkansas continues to lead other states in the region in the volume of drugs collected during Take Back, which is a testament to the outstanding efforts of everyone involved. We would like to thank everyone who participated in this critical event which makes our homes and communities safer, while raising awareness of the opioid epidemic threatening the people of Arkansas.”
Semi-annually a Prescription Drug Take Back Day is held with the Arkansas Attorney General’s office, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Department of Human Services, Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas Rotary Clubs, Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of the State Drug Director and over 130 additional law enforcement and government agencies, community organizations and public health providers.
Event sites are held at various locations across the state but year-round locations are also available and can be found at ARTakeBack.org. The attorney general’s office also hosts take back events at mobile offices around the state. Since the program began, more than 72 tons of medication have been collected in Arkansas, which is an estimated 201 million individual pills.
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