ODESSA, Texas —
This Saturday will be the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Take Back Day, which aims to get unneeded prescription drugs off the streets nationwide.
“It's a bi-yearly event. We always do it in October and in April," said Carlos Briano, public information officer for the DEA El Paso Division. "And that's the day where we ask Americans to get rid of their unneeded medications, those that are old, unwanted or expired because we know that those substances can be a gateway to substance use disorder.”
The DEA said substance use often comes about when people abuse prescription drugs before moving on to harder stuff. It’s because getting a hold of prescription drugs that aren’t yours is unfortunately quite easy.
“When you're prescribed the medication, we're supposed to take it as the doctor indicates, right? At a certain time, and some of them say finish them all, but unfortunately some people don't follow the instructions of the medical provider and that's how that happens,” said Briano.
People can also get leftover prescription drugs from friends or relatives, sometimes stealing them without their knowledge. However, Take Back days can help people prevent this from happening and have gone on to help get a lot of prescription drugs out of circulation.
“Since DEA has been doing Take Back days, it's been over a decade. This is going to be our 26th," Briano said. "Since we did our very first Take Back Day, we've removed 8,950 tons of medication from circulation since we started and that is making our communities in Odessa, in Midland, in the Permian Basin, safer and healthier.”
There will be collection sites in the Midland-Odessa area. One will be at the Golf Course Road Church-Christ in Midland and the other will be at the Odessa Family YMCA. Both will be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you would like to find a collection site near you, visit the DEA’s Take Back Day site to search for one.