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Maine 'Drug Take Back' locations announced, ahead of the weekend

The last Take Back Day in October 2018 brought in 914,236 pounds of unused, expired, or unwanted drugs at more than 5,800 federal, state, and local government locations across the nation.

MAINE, USA — Law enforcement and health officials are participating in 'National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.'

FIND A DROP OFF LOCATION NEAR YOU

The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible way for people to get rid of their prescription drugs, while also warning the public about the potential ways these medications can be abused. 

In a joint statement on Monday, Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced the official locations in Maine for Drug Take-Back Day.

Anyone with unused and unwanted prescription medications can drop these items off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 at various sites across Maine. Click here to enter your location and find a collection site near you.

"Unused prescription drugs that collect in our homes can fall into the wrong hands, creating unintended gateways to addiction and fueling the heroin and opioid crisis," said the Senators in their statement. 

The last Drug Take-Back Day in October 2018 brought in 914,236 pounds of unused, expired, or unwanted drugs at more than 5,800 federal, state, and local government locations across the nation.

Throughout the entire course of the program, nearly 10,878,950 pounds of prescription drugs have been safely returned, including more than 353,257 pounds of drugs in Maine alone.

The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 6-million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. Most of these abused drugs were obtained via family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to give Americans the opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths -- one return at a time.

According to Collins and King, Maine is one of the top 10 states that has disposed of the most prescription drugs through the Drug Take Back program.

"We are confident that our state will continue to lead efforts to stop the abuse of unused drugs that pose a serious threat to our children, our homes, and our environment," said the Senators to finish their statement.

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