SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.COM) – Tomorrow is the DEA’s Drug Take-back Day. It’s a chance for people take unused prescription drugs from their homes and have them destroyed safely. A person so inclined could also take any illegal drugs they wish to have disposed of without fear of prosecution. That’s because the drop-off is anonymous. Sioux Falls Police Officer Sam Clemens made a point in this morning’s police briefing to encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity. He said that prescription drug abuse is on the rise in our city and the Take-Back program is an effective way to help bring those numbers down.
Here are some facts to chew on. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, more than 106,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021, marking the most drug-related deaths ever recorded, with opioid-related deaths accounting for 75 percent of all overdose deaths. According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The most recent data available says that in 2020 there were 84 drug overdose deaths in South Dakota. A way to take positive steps against this type of death is to bring your unused scripts to the Sioux Falls Police Department Lobby on Saturday from 10am to 2pm and have them destroyed safely.
