PHOENIX – The DEA’s Phoenix Field Division has finished tallying the amount of drugs collected from those agencies who participated in the October 28th National Take Back event. Once again, Arizonans turned out in huge numbers and disposed of 11,668 pounds, nearly six tons, of prescription drugs. The total for the event is an approximate 2,100 pound increase over the National Take Back event held in April 2017, and the fourth highest total collected in Arizona since the beginning of the Take Back program.
“The state of Arizona continues to show its commitment to combatting the opioid epidemic by showing up at DEA’s Take Back Events and delivering drugs for disposal in huge numbers,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge for DEA in Arizona. “The DEA will continue to host these Take Back events with statewide partners to provide everyone an opportunity to safely dispose of potentially addictive prescription drugs.”
This latest collection was the result of Arizona’s 53 participating agencies who hosted approximately 75 collection points across the state, also an increase from April’s event. Cumulatively in Arizona, over 132,000 pounds, or over 66 tons have been collected since the inception of the program.
