This month, Arkansas will once again participate in Drug Take Back Day, a nationwide mission to safely collect and dispose of unused and expired prescription medications.

For 15 years, our state has been a leader and strong supporter of this important effort. Working together, responsible Americans and law enforcement partners have effectively removed nearly 10,000 tons of medication from households, neighborhoods and communities across the United States. Arkansas has performed admirably in this fight with contributions that are considered especially outsized given our smaller population. 

From the inaugural efforts known as “Operation Medicine Cabinet,” Arkansans have collected and safely disposed of more than 600,000 pounds of medication. The most recent Take Back Day in April was a resounding success, gathering over 28,000 pounds in unused or expired medicine, exceeding the amounts collected in the previous two and a half years. 

This strong showing has secured our state’s place among the top 10 nationwide for Take Back contributions by weight, as well as for law enforcement involvement and public participation. These statistics reflect our ongoing commitment to save lives and reduce the presence of deadly drugs on Arkansas’s streets.

Drug Take Back events underline the dangers, both accidental and intentional, of unused prescription medication in our communities and homes.  

Research has shown that loved ones and others who fall victim to opioid drug misuse and addiction access drugs from friends and family, often without their knowledge. Cleaning out medicine chests is especially important as data collected from Arkansas pharmacies in 2023 reveal the highest prescribing rate of opioids in the nation; enough for seven out of 10 residents to have a prescription in their name. Eliminating just one less chance for abuse is worth it, especially with the easy opportunity through Take Back. Addiction does not discriminate, so taking this precaution can truly make a difference. 

Policymakers spanning from Little Rock to our congressional delegation in Washington are keenly aware of how pervasive this crisis is and are working together to confront it. 

Last year, I was proud to help secure $5 million in funding for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Opioid Prevention Project to promote targeted, Arkansas-specific prevention and abuse education for at-risk populations. In previous years, I championed legislation to expand prevention, education, treatment and recovery efforts that were successfully signed into law, and have long advocated for different measures that increase access and training for life-saving naloxone, fund research and explore non-addictive pain treatment options. 

When it comes to bettering our communities and fighting back against this epidemic, no effort is too small, and there is room for every Arkansan to play a part. I encourage communities across The Natural State to join this effort by keeping track of your prescribed medications, storing them in a secure and safe way before disposing of them at a Take Back event on Saturday, October 25, at a convenient collection or pop-up site near you.

Together, we can help tackle opioid abuse and addiction head-on and prevent dangerous medications from falling into the wrong hands. Protecting our communities and state from this threat is an ongoing mission that I look forward to continuing.