AG Brnovich Encourages Arizonans to Take Part in National Drug Take-Back Day

PHOENIX - One in four teens report abusing or misusing a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime. One person dies every day in Arizona due to a prescription opioid overdose. Arizonans need to work together to keep unwanted prescriptions out of the wrong hands. This Saturday, April 29, 2017 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which aims to provide a safe, convenient, and secure means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

“Most teens and adults who abuse prescription drugs get them from a friend or family member’s medicine cabinet,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “We all need to get rid of prescription drugs when they are no longer needed because it could save a life.”

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office continues to partner with law enforcement agencies throughout Arizona by providing secure community drug collection devices in local police departments. To date,15 AZAG drug collection units have been distributed to different police agencies statewide including: the Salt River Nation, Fountain Hills, Maricopa, Tempe, El Mirage, Buckeye, Gilbert, Florence, Quartzsite, San Carlos Apache Nation, the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Navajo County, and the Hualapai Nation.

Individuals can confidentially drop off unwanted, expired prescriptions, over-the-counter and other unused household medications at a number of police departments during regular business hours across the state. While these drop-off locations operate year-round, the Quartzsite Police Department and the Hualapai Nation Police Department will be hosting special collection events on Saturday, April 29th.
 
For additional information, members of the media may contact Mia Garcia, Director of Media Relations at (602) 339-5895 or [email protected].
 
If you are a law enforcement agency and would like to apply to have a prescription drug box placed in your police agency, please contact Stephen Shadegg at [email protected].