DEA Holding Prescription Drug Take Back Day Across Northern Oklahoma

The Drug Enforcement Administration is holding the 14th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, according to U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores.

The event will take place October 28, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at ten collection sites across the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The release says flushing medications or throwing them in the trash can pose safety and health hazards, so this event is an effort to safely rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

The disposal is free and anonymous.

The DEA can accept pills, patches and tightly sealed liquids; needles or “sharps” are not accepted.

Rates of prescription drug abuse are “alarmingly high” in the United States, the news release says.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose,” the release says.

It also says some painkiller abusers move on to harder drugs as well.

In its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds of pills, the release says.

The collection sites in the Northern District of Oklahoma are:

• Bartlesville Police Department - 615 S. Johnstone Avenue, Bartlesville, OK  74003
• BIA-OJS Miami Agency - 34 A Street, Miami, OK 74355
• Miami Nation Tribal Police - 3401 P. Street,  Miami, OK  74335
• Osage Nation Police Department - 627 Grandview Ave, Pawhuska, OK 74056
• Tulsa Police Department - 12466 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK 74129
• Tulsa Police Department - Patrick Henry Elementary School, 3820 E. 41st Street, Tulsa, OK 74135
• Craig County Sheriff's Office - 210 W. Delaware Ave. #101, Vinita, OK 74301
• Vinita Police Department - 104 E. Illinois Avenue, Vinita, OK 74301
• Wyandotte Tribal Police Department - 64700 E. Hwy 60, Wyandotte, OK 74370
• Eastern Shawnee Tribal Police Department - 10250 South 695 Rd, Wyandotte, OK 74370

You can find more information here.