The joint effort of the Steuben County Sheriff and Steuben Prevention Coalition Opioid Committee to collect unused and unneeded medication brought in 606.4 pounds during Drug Take Back Day held Saturday at the county Public Safety Building in Bath.
The event has been highly successful in recent years.
During an October 2021 event, the joint effort brought in 781 pounds. The importance of the day has never been greater.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on opioid addictions.
The U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period, the CDC said.
While the increase in overdose deaths began prior to pandemic, it accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic, the CDC reported.
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