RALEIGH – The sheer volume of pills turned in speaks volumes about the silent epidemic gripping our nation. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27, 2019, yielded a staggering result: nearly 469 tons of potentially lethal, expired, and unused prescription drugs removed from circulation nationwide. In the Eastern District of North Carolina alone, authorities collected approximately 7,229.92 pounds of unwanted medication. Statewide, the total reached 8,968 pounds – a grim testament to the widespread problem of prescription drug abuse.
United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. addressed the significance of the event, stating, “Across the country and here in the Eastern District of North Carolina, we are facing a real and dangerous threat from opioids and other prescription drugs.” Higdon didn’t mince words, adding, “We have unprecedented levels of addiction, frightening numbers of overdoses, and an alarming number of deaths because of the over prescription and improper use of these drugs. This requires each of us to work to solve it. By properly disposing of prescription medication we do not need, we can reduce the risk that these drugs will fall into the wrong hands.”
The numbers paint a horrifying picture. Prescription drug abuse rates in the U.S. remain stubbornly high, fueling a surge in accidental poisonings and overdoses. The source of these drugs isn’t shadowy dealers on street corners – it’s often the medicine cabinet. Studies consistently show that the majority of abused prescription drugs originate from family and friends, pilfered from homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a chilling statistic: 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. And the pipeline doesn’t stop there; four out of five new heroin users first became addicted to painkillers.
For too long, the default method of disposal – flushing medications down the toilet or tossing them in the trash – has been ignored as a hazard. These practices aren’t just irresponsible; they pose significant safety and health risks, contaminating water supplies and creating opportunities for diversion, misuse, and abuse. This initiative directly confronts those risks, addressing the public safety and health concerns surrounding forgotten medications lurking in homes, waiting to be exploited.
The DEA isn’t resting on its laurels. The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for October 26, 2019. But you don’t have to wait for a designated day to do the right thing. Complete results from the recent Spring Take Back Day can be found at www.DEATakeBack.com. If you missed the Take Back Day, locate an authorized collector near you by visiting https://apps2.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/main?execution=e1s1. Don’t let your unused pills become someone else’s tragedy.
This isn’t just a law enforcement issue; it’s a community responsibility. Every pill accounted for is one less potential overdose, one less life lost. The DEA and the US Attorney’s office are providing the tools – it’s up to the public to use them. The fight against the opioid crisis is far from over, and proper medication disposal is a critical, often overlooked, battleground.
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Related Federal Cases
- NOLA Braces for Drug Take Back: Opioid Crisis Fuels Effort · Louisiana
- Charlotte Doctor, Wife Guilty in Opioid Trafficking Scheme · North Carolina
- Burgaw Man Gets 16.5 Years for Fentanyl Pills Racket · North Carolina
- Monroe Man Robert L. Smith Gets 5 Years for Cocaine Dump · Louisiana
- Gulf Coast HIDTA Trains First Responders on Opioid Overdose Reversal · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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