Drug “Take-Back” Sets Record, Oct. 1

Residents of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) responded overwhelmingly to the most recent DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On September 26th, 2015, in a four hour period, residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska combined, turned in a record breaking 33,919 pounds (17 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 171 take-back sites. When the results of the ten DEA Take Back Days for the PNW are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed over 268,456 pounds (134.2 tons) of medication from circulation. The following are the results broken down by state: * Washington – 19,320 pounds (9.6 tons) removed from circulation. * Idaho – 2,899 pounds (1.4 tons) removed from circulation. * Oregon – 8,934 pounds (4.5 tons) removed from circulation. * Alaska – 2,766 pounds (1.3 tons) removed from circulation.