Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Prepares for Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Memphis, TN –U.S. Attorney, D. Michael Dunavant, Western District of Tennessee, will join the Drug Enforcement Administration on October 28, 2017 for its 14th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country, including here at Kroger, 7615 Highway 70 Bartlett, TN. This one-day event will make it convenient for the public to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Last April Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds, more than 4,050 tons, of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

"Our office is pleased to partner with DEA for this important cause. DEA is to be commended for its efforts to provide citizens across the country the opportunity to dispose of unused prescription painkillers. With the opioid epidemic at an all-time high, we must take advantage of every opportunity to rid our communities of drugs that destroy the lives of our fellow citizens," said D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Tennessee.

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.

For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov where you can search by zip code, city or state.