Crime & Safety

Round Rock Police Collect 703 Pounds of Unwanted Prescriptions

The National Drug Take-Back Day event was a success.

That’s a whole lot of pills and medication.

The Round Rock Police collected a total of 703 pounds of unwanted medications which filled a total of 25 boxes total during last Saturday’s National Drug Take-back Day event, Round Rock Police said on Wednesday.

The Drug Enforcement Administration Austin Resident Office collected 6,238 pounds of unwanted medications across Austin, officials said.

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“Thank you to all of our partners and volunteers for making this another successful day,” Round Rock Police said on its Facebook page.

“Take-back programs are the safest method for disposing of prescription drugs because they are organized and closely monitored by local, state and federal government agencies. These agencies ensure the proper disposal of the drugs in accordance with federal law,” Round Rock police said.

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“Studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends. In addition, Americans are now advised their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards,” officials said.

The next DEA Drug Take Back will take place in the spring.

[PHOTO: Shutterstock]

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