Poplar Bluff Police Department collected 14 pounds of unwanted medications on a recent National Prescription Drug Take Back day that collected close 745,000 of unwanted prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country.
The effort was organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners. It was the 21st national event, which has collected more than 15.2 million pounds of medication from circulation since its inception.
PBPD was one of almost 5,000 collection sites nationwide for the Oct. 23 effort, which helps the public rid their homes of unneeded medications — those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed — that too often become a gateway to addiction.
The PBPD has a permanent drop box in its lobby that is open year-round for disposal, no questions asked. The box has collected more than 230 pounds of pills this year, according to officials.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year.
Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75% of all overdose deaths in 2020.