Wow. That’s a lot of drugs. Over 11,600 pounds — almost six tons — of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications were collected in the state of Oregon on Oct. 26.
Part of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Canby Police Department was one of the 54 collection sites participating in Oregon.
A total of nearly 883,000 pounds of medications were collected nationwide during the October 2019 Take Back event.
Residents of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska turned in 36,981 pounds, or 18 and a half tons, which is the third highest collection to date for the Pacific Northwest.
This was also the first time DEA accepted vaping devices and cartridges in addition to medications at all of its drop-off locations.
With hundreds of confirmed lung injuries and dozens of deaths attributed to vaping use, DEA says it is working diligently in our communities and through our outreach efforts to spread the word about the dangers of vaping.
DEA’s next National Prescription Drug Take Back is April 25, 2020.
