The Biloxi Police Department, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, will be accepting unused, expired and unwanted prescription medication during Take Back Day on Saturday at the Lopez-Quave Public Safety Center.
The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at the Biloxi Police Department, 170 Porter Ave. between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday. Local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations will be followed in order to maintain the safety of participants and law enforcement.
The Biloxi Police Department and the DEA will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. Vaping devices and cartridges also will be accepted, provided lithium batteries are removed.
The Take Back Day takes place as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin before the COVID-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic, the CDC says.
At its last Take Back Day in October, the DEA collected a record-high amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public across the country turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, the DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs. With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential.
Learn more about the event at www.deatakeback.com, or by calling 800-882-9539.
News & notes: Burning, council replay
Burning: U.S. 90 drivers and beachgoers may have noticed the smoke arising from Deer Island today. It’s part of a controlled burn being administered by the Mississippi Department of Resources. To see photos on the city Facebook page, click here.
Council replay: The replay of the Biloxi City Council meeting from Tuesday can be seen by clicking here.
