650 Pounds of Expired and Unused Medications Collected

Contact: Bryan C. Daniels
Director, Public Relations
(314) 691-3130 – Cell
e-mail: bdaniels@stlcop.edu

June 1, 2011

650 Pounds of Expired and Unused Medications Collected
During Take Back Efforts in the City of St. Louis

The DEA attributed the success of April's take-back events to STLCOP-led awareness and promotional efforts.

ST. LOUIS – Medication take-back efforts associated with the St. Louis Medication Disposal Initiative and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day resulted in the collection of approximately 650 pounds of expired and unused medications, over-the-counter medications, and unknown tablets and capsules in the City of St. Louis.

It’s more than five times the amount – 128 pounds – collected at the DEA’s take-back day in September.

The disposal initiative was organized by St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP), the DEA, and the Office of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. During a five-day period, April 25-29, senior citizens were educated about the proper disposal of medications and encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets. STLCOP alumni, faculty, and students volunteered at designated senior centers in the City – answering questions about medication safety and disposal. Law enforcement officials collected the medications. Of the 650 pounds, 228 were collected at the senior centers.

The remaining amount – 418 pounds – was collected during the DEA’s take-back day on April 30. The public utilized drop off locations at four designated Walgreens locations in the City of St. Louis: 4218 Lindell; 3822 S. Kingshighway; 1530 Lafayette; and 3720 N. Kingshighway.

Nearly 6,700 pounds of medicine was collected in the St. Louis region, which accounted for 24 percent of DEA’s St. Louis Division total. That division consists of six states: Missouri, Iowa, Southern Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

Overall, 12,507 pounds of medication were collected in Missouri, more than doubling the 5,148 pounds collected last September. The Missouri total was the highest in the DEA’s St. Louis Division (Iowa, 5,142 pounds; Southern Illinois, 1,582 pounds; Kansas, 3,382 pounds; Nebraska, 3,959; and South Dakota, 826 pounds). The entire division collected more than 27,000 pounds – almost doubling the amount of medications collected last September.

The DEA attributed the city and regional success of April’s take-back evnts to STLCOP-led awareness and promotional efforts, which included radio and newspaper advertising, and television and radio interviews by STLCOP faculty. Additionally, during a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game, STLCOP President John A. Pieper discussed the importance of the disposal intuitive and national take-back day on the Cardinals Radio Network, which is broadcast in nine states.  

For resources and more information about the disposal initiative and the DEA’s national mediation take-back efforts, visit: http://stlcop.edu/visitorscommunity/medicationdisposal.asp.