Published: 4/29/2019 7:15:19 PM
National Drug Take Back Day yielded 1,773 pounds of unwanted drugs at 19 locations in Hampshire and Franklin counties and Athol on Saturday.
“That’s another 1,773 pounds we’ve gotten out of circulation,” Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan said in a statement.
More than 50,000 pounds have been collected in the Northwestern District during Take Back days and from permanent collection boxes since 2011.
TRIAD Coordinator Rachel Senecal tallied the number of pounds of drugs collected from area communities. The drugs will then be transported to Covanta Springfield to be incinerated and converted into energy.
Participating communities included Bernardston, Deerfield, Greenfield, Leverett, Montague and Sunderland in Franklin County, Amherst, Belchertown, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Hadley, Northampton Pelham, Southampton, South Hadley, Williamsburg and Worthington in Hampshire County, as well as Athol in Worcester County.
About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids, according to the latest information from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and an estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.
“This is one of the most important initiatives we participate in to help combat drug addiction,” Sullivan said.