Drug Take-Back Events Could Be A Thing Of The Past

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - People got rid of unused prescriptions and over-the-counter medications Saturday in a big drug take-back event.

For the fourth time Drug Enforcement Administration agents collected unused prescription drugs. It was part of another national Pharmaceutical Take Back Day.

"I've been trying to get here for the last three years. I'm very glad I got here this year," Beverly Little said.

"It's an opportunity to get prescription drugs out of my house that are old, that are dated, that I no longer use that my grandkids can't get at," Patrick Canavan said.

People of all ages were more than happy to have a safe way to dispose drugs. But the event could be one of the last.

"The eventual regulation is going to have a protocol in place that on a daily basis you'll be able to take these drugs to a location near you for them to be disposed of accordingly," DEA Assistant Special Agent In Charge David Schiller said.

Drug take-back events have been held every six months since September 2010. A place to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs daily, however, helps keep the drugs out of the wrong hands.

"You don't know what's going to happen to them in the trash," Little said.

The DEA is working on the new regulations and hope to have daily take-back locations in place before the end of the year. If not there will be a fifth take back event until the regulations are completed.

"The goal is to get them off the streets. The first three take-backs combined we've accumulated over 1 million pounds of prescription drugs," Schiller said.

So many drugs are being collected at each event, a daily drop off location is almost necessary.

DEA agents incinerate the drugs collected at the take-back events.