BISMARCK, ND – Tomorrow is national prescription drug “Take Back Day.” Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem reminds North Dakota residents who want to know how to safely dispose of unused prescription and over the counter medications that they can turn to the state’s year-round Take Back program.
Over 2,345 pounds of OxyContin, Fentanyl, Prozac, and other drugs that had been collected from Take Back containers during the past six months were destroyed in a controlled burn conducted this month. Controlled burns of Take Back drugs are conducted twice a year. This is the largest amount collected from the containers since the program started.
“One pill at a time, North Dakotans are helping to keep dangerous drugs off the streets and out of our landfills. The extent of community support for this program has been phenomenal,” said Stenehjem.
More than six and a half tons (13,158 pounds) of unused prescription drugs and over the counter medications have been collected and destroyed since the state’s Take Back program started in December 2009.
Attorney General Stenehjem has joined with the North Dakota Board of Pharmacy to expand the Take Back program to support the Board’s new “Old Drugs Yellow Jug” program, which puts secure disposal containers at the pharmacy counter so people can dispose of unused pain medications and other controlled drugs. Currently, 35 pharmacies are participating in the Yellow Jug program, which launched earlier this year. An additional 40 pharmacies across the state are expected to be added to the program next month.
“I encourage everyone to bring unwanted medications – their own or those of family members – to a Take Back location or Yellow Jug site in their community,” said Mark Hardy, Executive Director of the North Dakota Board of Pharmacy. A list of the North Dakota Take Back and Yellow Jug sites is available on the Attorney General’s website at www.takeback.nd.gov.