The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reported that the 15th Annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day was an historic success. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa points to statistics that say drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. “It’s devastating the lives of individuals, families and entire communities,” he says. “That’s why prevention efforts like National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day are so important.” The April 28 event resulted in nearly 6,000 pharmacies and other approved sites throughout the country collecting and destroying close to one million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs. This brings the total amount collected since the fall of 2010 to nearly 10 million pounds. Locally, the Carroll Police Department and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office collected approximately 11 pounds of drugs. Those have been pooled with collections made throughout the year in the permanent drop box located near the Sheriff’s Office, in the lower level of the Carroll County Courthouse. Authorities expect the DEA to be able to pick up their nearly 200 pounds of returned medications in the very near future.
