Prescription Drug Take Back Day Numbers Released

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week the official collection numbers for the biannual Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Wisconsinites returned a record-setting 63,941 lbs. of unused medications on the fall date, Oct. 28.  The drugs were safely transported to a facility in Indiana and destroyed shortly after the event.

Wisconsin had more law enforcement agencies participate in the event than any other state in the country, according to DOJ, with 266 police and sheriffs’ departments hosting events. Wisconsin also has more permanent drug disposal sites than 46 other states.

Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an effort to encourage the safe disposal of unused prescriptions in order to prevent prescription painkiller abuse in Wisconsin. 70 percent of initial painkiller abuse starts when drugs are obtained improperly from family members or friends, according to DOJ.

The next Take Back Day will be held in the spring of 2018.