BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today encouraged North Dakotans across the state to properly dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs during National Drug Take-Back Day.

On Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and its partners will set up various locations in the state to provide North Dakotans the opportunity to rid their medicine cabinets of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

“Prescription drug abuse is a rapidly growing drug problem facing the country,” said Heitkamp. “Too many North Dakotans, their families, and communities have been torn apart by drug abuse or deaths. With 56 percent of prescription drugs obtained through a friend or relative, Drug Take-Back Day is all the more important to make sure North Dakotans’ drugs are properly thrown out. On Saturday, I urge all North Dakotans to take a few minutes to clean out their medicine cabinets and dispose of any expired or left over medicine at one of the locations across the state.”

Take back event drop-offs are anonymous and no questions are asked. To find the closest participating locations in North Dakota, please click here and enter your zip code.

Background

Fighting drug abuse in North Dakota is one of Heitkamp’s priorities in the state. As part of her efforts to improve community safety and curb drug abuse, she:

• Sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General and DEA Administrator at the end of September urging them to expedite final regulations to expand access to drug take-back sites to accommodate the growing problem of prescription drug abuse.
• Joined a Narcotics Task Force meeting in Bismarck in August to talk about ways to address the narcotic and prescription drug abuse problem. The Narcotics Task Force was an important opportunity for law enforcement, health providers, and local officials to work side-by-side to find ways the state can curtail drug problems.
• Brought White House Office of Drug Control Policy Director R. Gil Kerlikowski to North Dakota in July to see first-hand the drug abuse and crime problems plaguing the Bakken, and discuss solutions to this challenge.

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