35K pounds of medication collected in Pa. during Take Back Day

About 420 tons of prescription medication was collected nationwide during the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Take Back Day last month.

In Pennsylvania, about 35,000 pounds of unused, expired and unwanted medication was turned in on April 24, according to agency statistics. The event, held twice a year, is meant to prevent such medications from getting into the wrong hands.

The events can help reduce drug overdose deaths and prevent addiction by allowing for the safe disposal of prescription medications, said agency acting administrator D. Christopher Evans.

In total, there were 5,060 collection sites across the country, including 255 in Pennsylvania. Several police departments around the region typically participate in the event.

Take Back Day started in 2010 and, since then, the agency has collected 14,670,240 pounds of prescription medication.

The April 2020 event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Reflecting pent-up demand, the October 2020 event collected the largest amount in the program’s history, nearly 1 million pounds.

DEA officials have said drug overdose deaths appeared to be rising nationwide. In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning that more than 81,000 people died from a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending in May 2020, a record number.

Westmoreland County saw a slight increase in the number of drug overdose deaths in 2020 with 123, compared to 115 in 2019, according to coroner statistics. There have been 31 overdose deaths so far in 2021 with an additional 27 deaths being investigated as possible overdoses.

Allegheny County saw an uptick, too, with 687 in 2020 compared to 571 in 2019, according to statistics provided by OverdoseFreePA. Prescription drugs can be turned in at collection sites around the area that are available year-round. To find one, visit take backday.dea.gov.