U.S. Attorney’s Office urges public to participate in drug take-back drive

SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley urges the public to get out this weekend and throw out unused prescription drugs.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and more than 3,800 national, tribal and community law enforcement partners nationwide will be promoting National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day with events across the nation this weekend. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. It also educates the public about the potential for abuse of medications.  Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern because they are highly susceptible to accidental ingestion, theft, misuse and abuse. More than 46,000 Americans die each year from drug-related deaths, and more than half of those are from heroin and prescription opioids. The DEA reports that almost twice as many Americans (6.5 million) abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin and inhalants combined, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  More Americans died in 2010 from overdoses of prescription medications (22,134, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers) than from motor vehicle accidents, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Studies show that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

The DEA will have collection sites across the country on Saturday, April 30^th, for those who are interested in bringing their unused or expired prescription drugs for proper disposal.  Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought to the collection sites – liquids and needles or other sharp objects will not be accepted.  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Prescription drugs can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, at the following sites:

Shreveport

• Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff’s Safety Town in the Parking Lot of Summer Grove Baptist Church, 8910 Jewella Ave.

Bossier City

• Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office Viking Drive Substation, 2510 Viking Drive

• Louisiana State Police Troop G office, 5300 Industrial Drive, Extended

Barskdale Air Force Base

• 455 Curtis Road

Monroe

• Louisiana State Police Troop F office, 1240 Highway 594

Alexandria

• Louisiana State Police Troop E office, 1710 Odom St.

• Alexandria Police Department, 1000 Bolton Ave.

Lafayette

• Louisiana State Police Troop I office, 121 E. Pont Des Mouton Road

Broussard

• Broussard Police Department at Walgreen’s Parking Lot, 105 St. Nazaire

Lake Charles

• Lake Charles Police Department at the Lake Charles Civic Center Parking Lot, 900 Lakeshore Drive

• Louisiana State Police Troop D office, 805 Main St.

The public can also find a nearby collection site by visiting www.dea.gov, clicking on the “Got Drugs?” icon, and following the links to a database where they enter their zip code or call 800-882-9539.