LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — When you drop off old prescription drugs, do you ever wonder if you’re the only one out there who does it?
Numbers released by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration following the April 2022 event show that there’s a ton of participation — make that more than 330 tons.
A total of 663,725 pounds of unneeded or expired medications were collected at nearly 5,000 collection sites across the country, according to a Monday DEA news release.
The DEA’s website provides breakdowns of those big numbers by state, sometimes focusing on just a small segment of the collection effort. For this event, the DEA showed how American Indian and Alaskan Native communities participated. Nevada had the fifth-highest collection amount, accounting for 154 pounds of the total 1,889 pounds.
A broader statewide look in October showed state-by-state amounts, with 23 collection sites bringing in 3,422 pounds across Nevada:
Walgreen’s, CVS, Albertsons, Vons and Walmart are some of the locations where you can find permanent drop boxes if you don’t want to wait for a takeback event to roll around. Find a location near where you live.
The DEA says medications that aren’t disposed of properly can be a gateway to addiction, contributing to the opioid epidemic.
“Communities across the country again answered the call to rid their homes of unneeded medications to protect loved ones from deadly drugs and drug poisonings,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “National Prescription Drug Take Back Day continues to protect our communities and create healthier environments by offering safe disposal of prescription medications.”
