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Arkansas Take Back is a statewide initiative launched in 2010 to help families safely monitor and dispose of unused prescription medications. With over 275 permanent collection sites, the program aims to prevent drug misuse, protect the environment, and enhance community safety through proper medication disposal.

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DEA: More drugs collected in Arkansas Take Back effort than Alabama, Louisiana & Mississippi combined

Joy Spence on May 19, 2023

by:  | Posted: Updated: 

Link to original article by KARK

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Drug Take-Back Day ended with more drugs being collected in the Natural State than the combined totals of three other nearby states.

According to the New Orleans Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Arkansas collected 26,020 pounds of unneeded medications on April 22.

In comparison, agency officials said on that day Alabama collected 4,457 pounds, Louisiana collected 2,074 pounds and Mississippi had 3,943 pounds collected.

Nationally, the DEA reported collecting 664,000 pounds of medications at 5,000 collection sites during the April event.

Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New Orleans Field Division Brad L. Byerley said by turning in medications, lives are saved.

“This effort helps prevent medication misuse that too often leads to opioid addiction at a time when Americans are dying from drug poisonings in record numbers,” Byerley said. The DEA Take Back Day is an annual event. The event website has a searchable list of drug drop-off locations.

 

Arkansas DEA collects staggering amount of drugs for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Joy Spence on May 19, 2023

By Fred Gamble
Published: May. 16, 2023 at 5:33 PM CDT|Updated: May. 16, 2023 at 6:41 PM CDT

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) – “And we did what I would say was a monumental take back here in Arkansas,” said Jared Harper, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Arkansas.

Harper says the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was a success for the state. The event encourages residents to discard unused prescription drugs by putting them in secure boxes. During the recent take back day, Arkansas collected more than 26,000 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs compared to just over 2,000 pounds collected in Louisiana.

“It all comes back to vested partnerships and relationships cultivated by law enforcement, our state and local partners and federal partners working together with the community,” Harper said.

A major partner for the drug take back event is Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital. Led by Dr. Matt Young, this local hospital sponsors take back boxes in the area.

“It is a great way for us to get drugs off the street. They need to be disposed of properly and also, it helps with our law enforcement to know what is out there,” Dr. Young said.

DEA leaders say this large amount of drugs collected is a win for the State of Arkansas and its residents.

“All Arkansans coming together for one cause and that is to save lives, no doubt, save countless lives, not just in Arkansas, but beyond Arkansas,” Harper said.

Governor Sanders signs new law requiring naloxone kits in schools

Joy Spence on May 5, 2023

[Little Rock, Arkansas – May 5, 2023] Yesterday morning Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed House Bill 1514, which requires public high schools and public institutions of higher education in the state of Arkansas to keep a naloxone kit on campus. Naloxone is a life-saving opioid agonist that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

According to the CDC, drug overdose deaths among students ages 14-18 increased by 94% between 2019 and 2020. Increases in access to illicit fentanyl; counterfeit pills, vape cartridges, and marijuana laced with fentanyl; and the ease of purchasing drugs on social media have all contributed to the increase.

The requirement will be enforced January 1, 2024 through the Criminal Justice Institute and the Office of the Arkansas State Drug Director.  The kits are required to be visible and clearly labeled on campus, and school nurses and school resource officers will be required to carry naloxone at all times.

 

[From left] ARORP Board Member and Litigation Counsel for the Association of Arkansas Counties Colin Jorgensen, Director of the Department of Human Services Division of Adult, Aging, and Behavioral Health Services Jay Hill, Representative Tara Shepherd, Arkansas State Drug Director Tom Fisher

The new law, Act 811, was passed through the advocacy of change makers in Arkansas at the city, state, county, and local levels. State Representative Tara Shephard was the lead sponsor of the bill. A freshman representative, Shephard celebrates her first bill to be passed into law.

Drug disposal event brings in 26,000 lbs. of unwanted drugs in Arkansas

Joy Spence on May 1, 2023

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Original Article Link

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Arkansans brought in just over 26,000 pounds of unwanted prescription medication for the semi-annual National Drug Takeback Day.

National Drug Takeback Day takes place on the last Saturdays of April and October every year. Arkansas had over 275 drop off boxes across the state this year and collected 13.01 tons of unwanted, unused or expired drugs.

“Thank you to all our partners who participated in the 25th semi-annual National Drug Takeback Day,” Arkansas State Drug Director Tom Fisher said. “Once again, it was another huge success with more than 13 tons of medication collected. The continued success of this program is a testament to our community and law enforcement partnership, furthering the message of education and prevention for prescription abuse and misuse.”

Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership Director Kirk Lane says that the drug takeback events are increasingly helpful in keeping drugs out of the hands of young people.

“Most young adults who misuse prescription drugs get them from the home of a friend or a family member. Practicing the concept of secure, monitor, and safely dispose keeps our families and communities safe,” Lane said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arkansas National Guard ensured that the medications were safely destroyed and kept away from the water supply.

Drug Take Back Day: 13 tons of medication destroyed

Joy Spence on May 1, 2023

By Region 8 Newsdesk
Published: Apr. 28, 2023 at 4:48 PM CDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Many cities around Arkansas participated in Drug Take Back Day.

With over 275 boxes spread throughout the state, people had plenty of places to properly dispose of medication.

By safely destroying over 13 tons of medication, Arkansas State Drug Director Tom Fisher says this year’s event was a success.

“The continued success of the program is a testament to our community and law enforcement partnership,” Fisher said. “Furthering the message of education and prevention for prescription abuse and misuse.”

Since 2010, Arkansas Drug Take Back has been assisting Arkansas families in properly disposing of unwanted, unused, or expired medication.

Copyright 2023 KAIT. All rights reserved.

Arkansans Monitor, Secure, and Dispose of 26,020 Pounds of Medications on Drug Take Back Day

Joy Spence on April 28, 2023

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Apr. 28, 2023) – Last Saturday, April 22, Arkansans collectively answered
the call to “Drop it in the Box” by bringing 26,020 pounds (13.01 tons) of unwanted prescription
drugs to over 275 take back boxes located around the state. The Drug Enforcement
Administration and the Arkansas National Guard ensured these medications were safely
destroyed, keeping Arkansas’s water supply free of dangerous medications.

“Thank you to all our partners who participated in the 25th semi-annual National Drug Takeback
Day,” says Arkansas State Drug Director Tom Fisher. “Once again, it was another huge success
with more than 13 tons of medication collected. The continued success of this program is a
testament to our community and law enforcement partnership, furthering the message of
education and prevention for prescription abuse and misuse.”

The Arkansas Drug Take Back was developed in 2010 to help Arkansas families secure, monitor,
and dispose of their unwanted, unused, or expired prescription medications. To date, Arkansas
has safely destroyed over 548,221 pounds of these turned over medications.
“Most young adults who misuse prescription drugs get them from the home of a friend or a family
member,” says Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP) Director Kirk Lane. “Practicing
the concept of secure, monitor, and safely dispose keeps our families and communities safe. The
Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership is proud to host www.ardrugtakeback.org in this continued
effort.”

DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper commends the collective effort of law
enforcement and prevention professionals working together to take these unwanted and
unneeded medications out of the homes of Arkansans, no doubt resulting in countless lives
being saved in Arkansas and beyond. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, a leading cause of death for Americans 18-45 is drug poisoning. It causes more
deaths than COVID-19, gun violence, suicide, or car accidents,” says Harper, “107,622
Americans died from taking drugs last year.”

Do your part to keep your community safe. If you were not able to make the Spring Take Back
date, know that Arkansas has over 275 take back box sites which are available every day. The
next National Take Back Day will be held in the fall of 2023. Please see www.ardrugtakeback.org or
download the NARCANSAS App for more information.

New drug take-back box in place in Pea Ridge

Joy Spence on April 25, 2023

Take Back Box in Pea Ridge, Arkansas

A new drug-take-back box was installed at the Pea Ridge Police Department this past week. It was provided by Arkansas Take Back, an Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, an initiative for opioid overdose prevention.

Pea Ridge Police Chief Lynn Hahn said the box was provided at no cost to the city.

Items accepted include prescriptions, vitamins, prescription ointments, pet medications, prescription patches and over-the-counter medications.

Items not accepted include needles, inhalers, aerosol cans, thermometers, lotions or liquids and hydrogen peroxide.

Persons dropping off drugs are asked to remove any personal information from medication packaging, make sure the pill bottle, packaging or plastic bag are firmly sealed to avoid spilling.

Print Headline: New drug take-back box in place

Biannual Arkansas Drug Take Back to be held Saturday

Joy Spence on April 24, 2023

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Original Article by KNWA

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The DEA and local law enforcement agencies are hosting drug take-back events in Arkansas this Saturday.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Arkansans are encouraged to give back unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs.

These drugs will be placed in a ‘drug take back’ box and will be destroyed.

The Fayetteville Harp’s on North Colorado Drive is one location of the 275 take-back boxes in the state.

You can find more information and take-back box locations online.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on April 22nd – here is where you can take your expired or unused prescriptions in the Ark-La-Miss

Joy Spence on April 19, 2023

by: 

Posted: 

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Original Article by KTVE

WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) –The goal of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs. At the same time, it is also to educate the public about the potential for abuse of medications. You can drop off the prescription medications between 10 AM – 2 PM at the following locations:

Arkansas:

  • Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office: Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office permanent drop-off box, located at 109 Goodgame Street, Camden, Ar
  • Crosset Police Department: Crosset Police Department permanent drop-off box, located at 70 Martin Luther King Drive, Crossett, Ar
  • Crosset Police Department: Gammel’s Pharmacy, located at 909 Unity Road, Crosett, Ar.

Louisiana:

  • Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office: At Super 1 Foods, located at 2211 East Madison Avenue, Bastrop, La.
  • Union Parish Sheriff’s Office: At the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, located at 710 Holder Rd, Farmerville, La.
  • Grambling State University Police Department: At Spring Market, located at 120 Legends Avenue, Grambling, La.
  • Louisiana State Police: At Troop F, located at 1240 HWY 434, Monroe, La.
  • Bernice Pharmacy, located at 417 East Main Street, Bernice, La
  • Union General Hospital, located at 901 James Avenue, Farmerville, La
  • CommuniHealth, located at 335 Main Street, Marion, La

This is a developing list, more will be added as information is provided