On Saturday, April 22, 2023, Bucks County held its semi-annual combined medication and sharps collection. Law enforcement officers collected unused and expired prescription medications for safe disposal at 48 locations throughout the county as part of Bucks County’s local observation of the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Since it began in 2010, Bucks County has been the state’s foremost participant in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and has collected more medication than any other Pennsylvania county. This April, Bucks County surpassed a major milestone, collecting more than 200,000 lbs. To date, 201,331.24 pounds of medications have been collected at public sites, senior housing centers, and homebound residencies. This is truly a collaborative effort and cannot happen without the help of law enforcement. The efforts are led by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Bucks County Commissioners, Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Inc., and other organizations.
“Being No. 1 in the state in medication take back shows that the citizens of Bucks County are dedicated to this cause,” District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. “And reaching more than 200,000 pounds of collected medication since the inception of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is another example of our community’s commitment to keeping all of us safe!”
It is important to follow safe practices with all medications. This includes storing medications properly, taking medications only as prescribed, not sharing with others, and safely disposing of both prescribed and over-the-counter medications in local medication drop boxes.