LAFAYETTE – The Chambers County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and East Alabama Mental Health Prevention Serviced collected more than 36 pounds of prescription medications for proper disposal in October.

The prescription drugs were collected during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 27.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, there were more than 3.3 billion unused post-surgical opioids prescribed in 2016, and many of those pills ended up on the streets fueling the opioid crisis.

The 2016 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s, National Survey on Drug Use and Health say that 53.1 percent of the pain reliever medications obtained for misuse were either given by, bought from, or taken from a friend or relative.   

In response, the DEA created an anonymous, safe and responsible method to dispose of unneeded prescription medication. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day takes place twice a year in communities across the country.  Since the first take-back day in the fall of 2010, the DEA has collected 4,982 tons of prescription drugs.

The next National Take Back Day will be in April 2019. There are also permanent disposal drop boxes available year-round at the Valley Police Department and the Chambers County Courthouse.

If a person can’t make it to a disposal drop location, there are other ways the DEA recommends going to www.dea.gov for more information.