Salem Police Department Announces Results Of Drug Take Back Day

SALEM, NH — The Salem Police Department announced the results of its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Drug Take Back Day last month.

The department said that on Oct. 29, it collected four full boxes of unused, unneeded and unwanted medication that totaled just over 187 pounds. The unused drugs were collected at department headquarters.

"Thank you to South Central Public Health Network, the Parkland Medical Center, and most importantly, to all of you who came out and disposed of these medications responsibly," the Salem PD said in a statement.

The collection event was part of National Take Back Day, where the DEA encourages the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.

"The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat," the DEA said in a statement. "DEA is committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths."

Throughout New Hampshire, National Drug Take Back Day events resulted in 10,695.3 pounds of medications being returned, according to authorities.

The Salem PD also reminded residents that there is a 24/7 drop box in the lobby at police headquarters where unused medications can be dropped off.

The department said the medications should be dumbed out of their plastic bottles before being deposited and reminded residents that needles are not accepted.

The Salem PD said it will host another National Drug Take Back Day event in the spring.