Opioids In The Spotlight On National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As the U.S. continues battling the opioid crisis, public agencies all over America on Saturday will give people a chance to rid their homes of unneeded drugs that sit in their medicine cabinets.

The 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is this Saturday, and runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day gives the public a free and anonymous way to rid their homes of prescriptions they no longer need.

According to the DEA, more than 70,000 people die in America annually from drug overdose deaths. And in recent years, opioids have been particularly in the spotlight.

"In Minnesota, 2,503 people died of opioid overdose between 2014 and 2017," DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Richard Salter Jr., said. "These were mothers, fathers, children, friends and neighbors in our communities who didn't need to die. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a way in which members of our communities can do their part to prevent the next overdose death by cleaning out their cabinets and those of their loves ones and getting rid of unused, unwanted and expired medications that have the potential for abuse."

One note: drop-off sites will not accept syringes.

In all, 48 Minnesota counties will host drop-off locations. For more information, along with site locations, click here.