LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency announced its 2023 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day had removed almost 600,000 pounds of unneeded prescription medications across the country. That includes 9,930 pounds collected in Kentucky.

The Louisville Field Divsion of the DEA, which covers Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virgnia, collected over 34,000 pounds between 256 sites. Tennessee collected the most in the division, with 20,221 pounds. Kentucky was second in collections and West Virginia was third, with 4,326 pounds.

For over a decade, the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has removed almost 17.9 million pounds of unneeded medications from across the country.

According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who use prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose got that medication from a family member or friend. Removing unnecessary medications from the home can help prevent situations involving not taking medication as intended or dosed; taking someone else’s prescription; and taking the medicine for euphoric effects rather than medicinal purposes.

“Across the Louisville Field Division, we had an increase in the amount of medications that we collected since our last take back day, and I want to thank everyone who participated in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia,” said Louisville Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott. “Getting unneeded medications out of our homes is an easy and important step toward safer communities.”

The DEA encourages people to remove unnecessary medications from their home regularly, using one of the nearly 17,000 permanent drug drop boxes across the U.S. You can find the nearest location for a drug drop box on their website.