SUN LAKES – Attorney General Kris Mayes marks the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) National Drug Takeback Day with a Shred-A-Thon and Drug Take-Back event on Saturday in Sun Lakes, and by celebrating the successful efforts of her Drug Take-Back team to date.
“By safely disposing of their prescription medications, Arizonans can do their part to help stop the opioid epidemic and prevent further addiction,” said Attorney General Mayes. “These Drug Take-Back events are just one of the tools in our toolbox as we continue to curb the opioid epidemic and stopping the flow of fentanyl into our communities."
The Sun Lakes Shred-A-Thon and Take-Back event will be one of more than 4,000 local drop-off locations available nationwide in partnership with the DEA that day for free, anonymous disposable of unneeded prescription medications. The event is held in partnership with the Maricopa County Sherif’s office and the Sun Lakes Posse. By encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes, Attorney General’s office is preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction.
Attorney General Mayes has made fighting the opioid addiction crisis and the stopping the scourge of fentanyl over Arizona’s Southern border a top priority since taking office last year. Under Attorney General Mayes’ tenure, the Attorney General’s office has collected more than 1,000 pounds of prescription drugs. The community collection events have also helped shred approximately 185,200 pounds of shredded documents. More than 2,950 Arizonans have participated in Attorney General Mayes’ multiple Shred-A-Thon and Drug Take-Back community events in Phoenix, the East Valley, Tucson, Sierra Vista, St. Johns, Avondale, Sun Lakes, and Avondale.
Overdose statistics indicate that five people a day are dying from opioid overdose in Arizona. According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the majority of people who misuse prescription medication for a non-medical purpose get that medication from a family member or friend. In 2024, a total of 3,935,380 opioid prescriptions were dispensed by pharmacies in Arizona.
The Sun Lakes Shred-A-Thon and National Drug Takeback Day event will be from 9:00 am to noon on Saturday at 10440 E Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, AZ 85248. The Attorney General’s Office partners with the AARP to provide the shredding trucks for the event.
The event will accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. The Attorney General’s office will also provide drug deactivation pouches that are a way for people to safely discard of prescriptions at home.