DEA holds annual Drug Take Back Day

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Drug Enforcement Agency held it’s national Drug Take Back Day Saturday with about 75 locations serving as drop off points in Alabama.

In the River Region locations in Montgomery, Prattville, and Millbrook all served as places for anyone to drop off any unwanted or expired prescription medications.

It’s a completely anonymous process with no questions asked.

“Drug Take Back Day is an important part of the drug prevention effort across this country. We do not only see that we’re able to remove controlled substances - particularly say opioids or benzodazapines - that otherwise could get in the hands of children and be able to dispose of them safely, but also environmentally to make sure that we’re removing pills from homes in the right way,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.

“A lot of people don’t realize that people think of illicit drugs like marijuana, cocaine and things like that. Prescription drugs are some of the most abused drugs that there are out there, so anything that we can do to take these out of people’s hands and not have those temptations there, we certainly want to be a part of that,” said Millbrook Police Chief PK Johnson.

Nationwide, more than 12 million pounds of medications have been collected over the 18 times this event has been held.

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