DEA Holds National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Sept. 30, 2012

The event, which took place for the fifth time Saturday, offers the public an opportunity to turn in "potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted" drugs all over the country.

Sept. 29--The Drug Enforcement Administration is offering the public an opportunity to rid its medicine cabinets of unwanted and potentially dangerous prescription drugs, as part of its efforts to prevent habit-forming drugs from falling into the wrong hands.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which takes place for the fifth time Saturday, has so far netted almost 775 tons of "potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted" drugs all over the country. This year, the DEA officials hope to continue with that success and is allowing members of the public to anonymously deposit the drugs at no charge.

"The growing response to DEA's national Take Back Day events demonstrates that the public understands, and wants to help combat, the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in America," DEA administrator Michele Leonhart said in a news release. "They recognize the need to rid their homes of dangerous controlled substance medications that teens and others steal, abuse, and sell."

There are 10 sites in Albuquerque where the public can get rid of their unwanted prescriptions. To find the spot nearest you, visit DEA.gov and click on "Got Drugs?" Collection sites are open Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Fight prescription drug abuse by turning in your unwanted prescription drugs at more than 75 law enforcement offices in New Mexico, including seven sites in Bernalillo County, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency's National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

To find a take-back locations near you, visit www.dea.gov and click on "Got Drugs?"

The Albuquerque locations are listed below:

UNM Police Department headquarters, 2500 Campus NE

APD Valley Area Command Gerald Cline Substation, 5408 Second NW

APD Phil Chacon Memorial Substation, 800 Louisiana SE

DPS/State Police District 5 Office, 2501 Carlisle NE

Kirtland AFB Base Exchange, 8001 Gibson SE

APD Northeast Substation, 8201 Osuna NE

APD Foothills Area Command Substation, 12800 Lomas NW

Walgreens, 6250 Paseo del Norte NE

APD Shawn McWethy Memorial Substation, 6404 Los Volcanes NW

APD Northwest Substation, 10401 Cibola Loop NW