VIDEO: AG Moody and Palm Beach County Sheriff Urge Floridians to Fight Opioid Crisis by Participating in Upcoming 26th National Drug Take Back Day

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Ahead of the 26th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, Attorney General Ashley Moody today spoke at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to urge Floridians to fight the opioid crisis by participating in the biannual event. National Drug Take Back Day is hosted by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a way Floridians can safely remove unneeded medications to help prevent misuse. Attorney General Moody also highlighted Operation Pill Drop, a service organized by the PBCSO and the Solid Waste Authority that provides a secure and convenient means for individuals to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, "Florida is losing thousands of people to drug overdose deaths every year. While illicit fentanyl is the main cause of these preventable deaths, prescription medication found discarded in a friend or family member's medicine cabinet can often feed a fatal addiction. By participating in the upcoming Drug Take Back Day, Floridians can be part of the solution by safely disposing of expired or unwanted medications."

During the 25th National Drug Take Back Day in October 2023, law enforcement officers across the country helped collect nearly 600,000 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs. For perspective, that is the average weight of five military tanks! In Florida alone, law enforcement collected more than 22,000 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs.

The PBCSO implemented Operation Pill Drop, opening 12 year-round pill-drop boxes used for collecting unwanted medication from Palm Beach County residents. In 2023 alone, pill-drop boxes helped law enforcement gather more than 3,100 pounds of unwanted medications. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw wants to remind residents to take advantage of the drop-off locations, especially on National Drug Take Back Day.

The 2022 Florida Medical Examiners Annual Report showed a decrease of more than 360 total opioid deaths in Palm Beach County from 2021 to 2022. While this is a step in the right direction, the opioid crisis continues to rage. Nationwide, more than 112,000 Americans died due to opioid overdose. The DEA now reports that more than 7 out of 10 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills contain a lethal dose, an increase from 2022.

Floridians can learn more about National Drug Take Back Day and find participating locations by visiting DEA.gov/TakeBackDay. The DEA website also includes resources on what kind of effects drugs can have on the body and explains the difference in drug schedules.

To inform Floridians about the dangers of opioid misuse, Attorney General Moody developed the Dose of Reality Florida website. For more information about the dangers of the opioid crisis, and to find a list of other year-round drug drop-off locations, visit DoseOfRealityFL.com-the statewide, comprehensive resource that provides information and resources about opioid misuse.

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