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Santa Fe County Drug Take Back Day Collects 700 Pounds of Unwanted Prescription Drugs

Santa Fe, NM- October 18, 2012 – The Prescription Drug Take Back Day in late September collected more than 700 pounds of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Santa Fe County Health Department, Santa Fe County Sheriff, Santa Fe City Police and the State Police brought in over 700 pounds of drugs that people cleaned out of their medicine cabinets, the largest amount ever collected in Santa Fe.

“I consider the collective efforts of law enforcement in Santa Fe County a huge success, 700 pounds of potentially dangerous drugs are now safely disposed of and off the street,” said Rachel O’Connor Director of Santa Fe County Health Division.

On September 29, 2012 Santa Fe County, City and State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) met with the public and provided an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft. This was a chance for people to rid their homes of dangerous prescription drugs. People brought these hundreds of pounds of medication to the old Wal-Mart, the Sheriff’s office and to the State Police office. The service was free and anonymous.

“The success of this event is the amount of unwanted prescription drugs collected, but also that people had an opportunity to simply drop off the drugs, no questions asked. Many even came back a second time with additional prescription drugs they cleaned out of their cabinets,” said Robert Garcia, Santa Fe County Sheriff.

According to national data New Mexico has the highest drug overdose death rate in the United States. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines (flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash) pose potential safety and health hazards and should not be done.

Additional drug take back events are planned for early 2013.

For more information contact Peter Olson, DWI Prevention Specialist at (505) 992-9844 or polson@santafecountynm.gov.