Drug Take Back Day Nets More Than 9,655 Pounds In Bucks County

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in Bucks County netted more than 9,655 pounds of unused and expired prescription drugs and sharps.

On April 22, law enforcement officers collected unused and expired prescription medications at 48 locations throughout the county. Since it began in 2010, Bucks County has collected more medication than any other Pennsylvania county.

With the April collection, Bucks County surpassed a major milestone netting more than 200,000 pounds. To date, 201,331.24 pounds of medications have been collected at public sites, senior housing centers, and homebound residencies.

The collection in Bucks County was organized by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the Bucks County Commissioners, the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., and other organizations.

“Being No. 1 in the state in medication take back shows that the citizens of Bucks County are dedicated to this cause,” District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. “And reaching more than 200,000 pounds of collected medication since the inception of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is another example of our community’s commitment to keeping all of us safe!”

According to officials, it is important to follow safe practices with all medications. That includes storing medications properly, taking medications only as prescribed, not sharing with others, and safely disposing of both prescribed and over-the-counter medications in local medication drop boxes.

“For nearly 13 years, Bucks County residents have responded to the plea to rid their homes of unused medications,"said Diane Rosati, executive director of the Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc. "Keeping medications in the home can lead to accidental drug overdose by children and adults, as well as contribute to substance use disorder, theft, and illegal distribution."

Rosati added, "We are grateful for the support of Bucks County Commissioners, the District Attorney, law enforcement and others. The true heroes here are everyday residents who often ask how they can help reduce substance use in our community, and they collected over 200,000 lbs. of medications which will never harm anyone.

"We can all play a part in making sure that medications, whether prescription or over the counter do not wind up in the wrong hands. Please continue to practice safe medication storage and disposal year-round," Rosati continued.

Additionally, the life-saving medication, naloxone (or Narcan), which can help to reverse an opioid overdose, is available free of charge to any resident in Bucks County. The Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc. offers walk-in hours at their office as well as other distribution sites and mail-to-home programs available to residents.

For those who missed the collection event on April 22, free and anonymous medication disposal is available year-round via any of the 44 permanent drop boxes located in police stations and hospitals throughout Bucks County. In most locations, all medications will be accepted, including pills, capsules, ointments, liquids, nasal sprays, inhalers, and pet medications. Needles and illicit drugs are not accepted.

There are now five permanent sharps disposal boxes at area hospitals. For more information, visit www.bcdac.org or call Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc. at 215-444-2700.