Tomorrow, April 24, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Atlanta Division will hold its 20th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event will give people the opportunity to get rid of potentially dangerous prescription drugs in a safe and controlled way. Anyone can drop off expired, unused and unwanted pills at sites across the state. Drop-off will be free and no questions will be asked.
A complete list of sites can be found on the Take Back Day website, but some drop-off locations include the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
On Oct. 24, DEA’s last take-back, Georgians dropped off 7,112 pounds of medication. Dropping off tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs as part of the event helps prevent drug abuse and theft. Some items that will not be accepted are liquids, syringes and other sharps.
According to Chuvalo Truesdell with the DEA, the drugs are incinerated in an environmentally safe way.
“Some people still think the best way to dispose of drugs is to flush them down the toilet or put them in the trash,” Truesdell said. “And both ways will create an environmental problem.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths have increased in the United States throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 87,200 Americans died as a result of a drug overdose in a one-year period, which is the most ever recorded in that time frame.
“During the pandemic times, street drugs like heroin are more difficult to get a hold of,” Truesdell said. “And therefore, a person who may be addicted to heroin will look for a pill form of that drug.”
At the drop-off sites, participants and law enforcement must adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.
