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Attorney General Mike Hunter Reminds Oklahomans of National Take Back Day on Saturday

DEA: Oklahoma ranked last in 2016 take back effort

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter is asking Oklahomans to participate in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 29.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics has set up a location finder on its website for individuals to find the most convenient location to drop off expired or unused prescription drugs. 

To access the location finder, click here.

In his continued effort to combat the opioid crisis facing the state, Attorney General Hunter said Take Back Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness and for Oklahomans to responsibly dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs.

“Many times addiction starts in the home with the availability of opioids or other prescriptions that are forgotten about,” Attorney General Hunter said. “With convenient drop off locations around the state, I am encouraging Oklahomans to rid their homes of old medication and keep it out of the hands of loved ones and children who are some of the most vulnerable.”

On Wednesday, Attorney General Hunter announced the creation of the Oklahoma Commission on Opioid Abuse. The commission members will study, evaluate and make recommendations for changes to state policy, rules or statutes to better combat opioid abuse in Oklahoma.

“If Oklahoma isn’t ground zero for the opioid epidemic in the nation, we are close,” Attorney General Hunter said. “The first step we all need to take is to work together to raise awareness on this public health crisis to begin saving lives.”

About Take back Day

Created in 2010, the DEA’s National Take Back Day promotes a safe, convenient and responsible means for individuals to dispose of prescription drugs. The day also aims to educate the public about the potential for the abuse of unused or expired drugs.

Despite the DEA collecting a record amount of prescription drugs during the 2016 Take Back Day, Oklahoma ranked last in the nation, taking back only 916 pounds of prescription drugs. By comparison, Texas, which collected the most, recorded nearly 80,000 pounds of unused prescriptions.