OMAHA, Neb. — As drug problems are on the rise across the nation, the Drug Enforcement Administration is hosting another Drug Take Back Day this Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
"Because of the growing opioid crisis and now the upcoming vaping threat and trend, we are collecting the medications to get them out of the hands of our children, out of the hands of abusers and users," DEA diversion program manager Bill Stockmann said.
This anonymous drop off process keeps drugs out of the wrong hands.
"Well especially if you've got a couple different things laying around and kids are just curious and they don't know how things interact," Omaha resident Megan Richardson said.
Residents can drop off anything from prescription to over the counter medications. Even vitamins. And the list of drop off items keeps growing.
"We are collecting the vaping pens and the e-cigarette devices," Stockmann said.
Illegal and black market vaping liquids are helping fuel a dangerous outbreak of vaping related illnesses across the country.
"The young people, the older people, I kind of know people from all age groups that are vaping," Nebraska Medicine employee Sara Kelly said.
The DEA is hopeful they can help slow the number of illnesses by collecting the liquids and even the actual vaping devices.
"Minus the batteries. So please take those batteries out before you bring them to us," Stockmann said.
One drop off location participating is the HyVee located on 156th and Maple. You can also drop off at different police stations around the state. HyVee has also announced that they will install permanent drug take back receptacles in all 276 of their locations by November 7.
The Drug Enforcement Administration holds two of these events every year, in April and October. During April's event, the Nebraska DEA collected over 5,500 pounds of prescription drugs from more than 47 locations throughout the state. To date, Nebraska has collected over 94,000 pounds of prescriptions in DEA-related take-back efforts since the initiative was implemented.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services sent out a list of every available location, which can be found below:
- Blair Police Department, 1730 Lincoln St., Blair
- Bellevue Police Department, 1510 Wall St., Bellevue
- Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office, 512 Niobrara Ave., Alliance
- Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office at Kearney Good Samaritan Hospital, 10 E. 31st St., Kearney
- Columbus Police Department at Walgreens, 2329 23rd St., Columbus
- Dawes County Sheriff Karl Dailey’s office, 451 Main St., Chadron
- Deuel County Sheriff’s Office, 718 3rd St., Chappell
- Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, at Walgreens, 13155 W. Center Rd.
- HyVee, 3410 N.156th St., Omaha, and 1000 S. 178th St., Omaha
- Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Courthouse, 405 15th Ave., Franklin
- Fremont Police Department, Lobby, 725 N. Park Ave., Fremont
- Grand Island Police Department, at Walmart, 3501 S. Locust St., Grand Island
- Hastings Police Department, 317 S. Burlington Ave., Hastings
- Holdrege Police Department, Holdrege Middle School, 600 14th Ave., Holdrege
- Imperial Police Department, 637 Broadway St., Imperial
- Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Law Enforcement Center, NE corner of the LEC Building, 606 3rd St., Fairbury
- La Vista Police Department, 7701 S. 96th St., La Vista
- Nebraska State Patrol, CHI Health St. Francis, South Patient Lobby entrance, 2620 W. Faidley Ave., Grand Island
- Omaha Police Department, NW Precinct, at HyVee, 8809 W. Center Rd., Omaha; HyVee, 747 N. 132 St.; 3121 S. 24th St., Omaha, and Walgreens, 3005 Lake St., Omaha
- Ralston Police Department, at Walgreens, 8380 Harrison St., La Vista
- Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office at HyVee, 11650 S. 73rd St., Papillion
- Sheridan Police Department, 605 ½ E. 2nd St. #303, Rushville
- Sidney Police Department, 1715 Illinois St., Sidney
