Nearly 200 tons of old, outdated prescription drugs were collected during a November drive.
Springfield Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration collect prescription medications at the third annual "Take Back" initiative at Central High School last fall. Here, Mickey Paul of Springfield, left, brings in her family's medications ang gives them to DEA Intellegence Analyst Jennifer Fafard.Building on past successes, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will launch the fourth National Prescription Drug Take-Back event on April 28.
The annual event serves to mitigate epidemic prescription drug abuse nationally and provides an outlet for those who may not know the best way to dispose of old and unused drugs.
In the past, the events have raked in countless tons of medications, including 188.5 tons during the most recent national take-back drive which was conducted last fall.
“With the continued support and hard work of our more than 3,945 state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners, these three events have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, and increased awareness of this critical public health issue,” said DEA administrator Michele M. Leonhart.
The drive also will include take-back sites across Western Massachusetts, including at the Springfield Central High School, city halls in Agawam and West Springfield, the Westfield Police Department headquarters, the parking lot of Greenfield High School and other sites, a list of which is available online at the DEA website, http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html
The collections will be conducted from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The process is as simple as bringing old, unwanted or expired drugs to the designated sites and dropping them off.