MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Brad Schimel announced Wisconsin collected a
record-breaking 68,016 lbs. of unused medications at drug disposal boxes and
October Drug Take Back events. Wisconsin collected more unused medications
than 48 other states, including beating Texas and only falling in second
place to California. Since 2015, Wisconsin has collected and disposed of 469,785
lbs. of unused and unwanted medications.
“Year after year, Wisconsin families continue to be committed to ending prescription
drug abuse and taking part in Drug Take Back Day events across the state or
discarding their medications any day of the year at one of the 444 permanent drug
disposal drop boxes across the state,” said Attorney General Schimel. “I cannot thank
our partners enough for helping make Wisconsin a national leader in this effort, from
private and public partners as well as everyday citizens who took the time and energy
to make this happen. Wisconsin is safer and stronger because of you.”
Statewide, 303 police and sheriffs’ departments hosted 145 Drug Take Back events
on October 27. Across the state, law enforcement agencies, pharmacies, clinics and
hospitals have installed 444 permanent drug disposal drop boxes, giving citizens a
convenient, environmentally-friendly, and anonymous way to dispose of unused
medications all year long. Proper drug disposal is essential to preventing prescription
painkiller abuse. Research has shown that over 70% of initial painkiller abuse starts
when drugs are obtained improperly from family members or friends.
Once again, Wisconsin was a national leader on Drug Take Back Day this October.
Since 2015, Wisconsin has consistently landed in the top three states in collecting
unused and unwanted medications, only ever falling slightly behind California and
DOJ Communications Office dojcommunications@doj.state.wi.us (608) 266-1220
Texas. This fall, Wisconsin had the second largest collection in the nation, beating
Texas. Wisconsin also had more law enforcement agencies participate in the
collection than 48 other states.
Drug Take Back Day is a collaborative effort between public and private sector
partners and would not be possible without the support of Covanta Energy, Fuchs
Trucking, Indiana State Police, Waukesha County, Waukesha County Sheriff’s
Office, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,
Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin State Patrol, U.S. DEA, and the
303 law enforcement agencies who participated in this October’s Drug Take Back
Day. This effort also could not be successful without the help of countless
Wisconsinites who have become part of the solution by getting unused meds out of
their homes.
The 68,016 lbs. of prescription drugs were boxed, palletized, shrink-wrapped, and
secured in three Fuchs Trucking semi-trailers for transportation to Covanta Energy
Corporation in Indianapolis, where the drugs were incinerated on November 6 and 7,
2018.
Attorney General Schimel also announced today that since October 28 the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) distributed thousands of doses of the life-saving opioid-
antidote, naloxone nasal spray to over 235 Wisconsin law enforcement agencies. Since that time, DOJ has confirmed that doses distributed by DOJ have already been
deployed and saved multiple lives from overdose.
Utilizing discretionary funding, approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on
Finance, DOJ purchased over 2,300 doses of naloxone nasal spray that was
distributed to local law enforcement. DOJ surveyed over 550 law enforcement
agencies regarding their naxolone programs. DOJ found 71 agencies that wished to
start a naloxone program, and wanted to receive doses of the nasal spray. DOJ found
that hundreds of agencies which have existing naxolone programs needed more doses
of the nasal-spray. Therefore, as part of the Drug Take Back prevention initiative
this fall, DOJ distributed naloxone nasal spray to 235 responding agencies.
