CHARLOTTE – More than 8,900 pounds of unwanted or expired medications were turned in for safe and proper disposal in North Carolina during the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration’s 17th National Prescription Take-Back Day held Saturday, April 27.
The state’s total was the highest collected in the state since the program began 10 years ago, DEA said in a news release. Three sites in Bladen County — Clarkton Drug, Anderson Drug in Elizabethtown and The Medicine Shoppe in Bladenboro — participated in the event. Individual totals for each pharmacy were not available.
“DEA’s 17th Prescription Drug Take-Back campaign was a success, both locally and nationally,” said Robert J. Murphy, who is DEA Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge. “While North Carolinians turned in 8,968 pounds of unwanted or expired medications, nationally, more than 469 tons of expired and unwanted prescription medications were collected at nearly 6,400 sites made available across the United States.
“I would like to thank the multitude of partners (both law enforcement and non-law enforcement) who
worked tirelessly to make this event another great success.”
In the program’s 17 years, more than 239,000 pounds of medicine has been turned in in North Carolina and almost 12 million pounds nationwide.
DEA’s next take back day is scheduled Oct. 26.
Clarkton Drug will take back unwanted or expired medications year-round.
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