Police collect unused prescriptions during Drug Take Back Day

ALLEGHENY COUNTY — Police around the country, including Allegheny County, participated in Drug Take Back Day Saturday.

This is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 20th bi-annual event focused on offering an opportunity for the public to turn in expired, unwanted or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction.

With so many people staying at home during the pandemic, Allegheny County and Pennsylvania officials say it’s more important than ever that people get rid of unused medications so they don’t get into the wrong hands.

Over-the-counter, controlled substances or prescription-required drugs were collected.

“We know that the United States has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans,” said Allegheny County Police Department Superintendent Christopher Kearns. “Locally, there have been 674 overdose deaths in the county alone during 2020. Everything that we can do to remove medications from the hands of people other than those to which they were prescribed is a positive step.”

During the last take-back event, they say they collected almost 37,000 pounds of prescription medication across the state. The October 2020 event resulted in collections of close to 500 tons of medicines. In the history of the event, more than 6,800 tons of unwanted medicines have been collected by various partners with the DEA.

While the event is held twice a year, permanent drug take back boxes exists at several locations in the county. For more information, visit https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Health-Department/Programs/Special-Initiatives/Overdose-Prevention/Drug-Take-Back-Locations.aspx.

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