Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program prepare unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications for shipment at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis., Oct. 25 following the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23. The effort aims to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Wisconsin National Guard lent a helping hand in the 20th annual Drug Take Back initiative as the state netted more unwanted prescription and non-prescription medications than any other in the nation.
Members of the Wisconsin National Guard’s Counterdrug Program helped facilitate take back efforts in communities across Wisconsin Oct. 23 and then helped drug and law enforcement agencies consolidate the medications in Waukesha Oct. 25 to prepare them for proper disposal.
A Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier wheels a pallet of collected unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications away Oct. 25 at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program supported the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23 and subsequently helped consolidate the medications in an effort to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
“This October Wisconsin recovered an estimated 58,000 pounds of prescription drugs, which combined with the 59,000 recovered in April comes to almost 120,000 pounds for the year,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Ruland, with the Guard’s Counterdrug Program. “The overwhelming success of Drug Take Back day in Wisconsin is due to the outstanding collaboration between all of the groups involved. The Alliance for Wisconsin Youth and it’s community coalitions do a great job with messaging and staffing the Take Back locations along with our state’s law enforcement members that are dedicated to this prevention effort.”
A Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier wraps a pallet of collected unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications away Oct. 25 at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program supported the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23 and subsequently helped consolidate the medications in an effort to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
Ruland said the semi-annual event, run jointly by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency, has great community participation with hundreds of law enfocement agencies participating in the effort. The program’s importance cannot be overstated, Ruland said.
“Our citizens know that one person’s unused prescription drugs can easily become another person’s misused prescription drugs, which can lead down the path to addiction. The Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program will continue to fully support this effort in any way we can.”
A Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldier consolidates unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications away Oct. 25 at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program supported the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23 and subsequently helped consolidate the medications in an effort to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
Drug Take Back Day is held twice annually across Wisconsin – once in the fall and once in the spring. The program aims to get unwanted or unused prescription and non-prescription medications off medicine cabinet shelves and properly disposed to ensure they do not fall into the wrong hands or make their way into municipal water supplies. In many cases, these medications become a gateway to addiction and drug abuse.
An Airman from the Wisconsin Air National Guard wraps unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications away Oct. 25 at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program supported the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23 and subsequently helped consolidate the medications in an effort to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
In 2020, Wisconsin also led the way by collecting a combined 89,982 pounds – or 9 percent of the nation’s total.
Agencies from the local, state, and federal level all participate in the annual Drug Take Back Day. Each year, it collects hundreds of tons of drugs that may have otherwise ended up on the streets, or in municipal water supplies after people unknowingly disposed of their old prescriptions improperly.
Nationwide more than 4,100 law enforcement and military personnel participated in Drug Take Back Day events this year.
Two Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers wrap a pallet of collected unwanted, expired, and unused prescription and non-prescription medications away Oct. 25 at a consolidation point in Waukesha, Wis. Citizen Soldiers and Airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard Counterdrug Program supported the nationwide drug Takeback Day Oct. 23 and subsequently helped consolidate the medications in an effort to ensure those medications don’t end up in the wrong hands or hurting the environment. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Maj. Joe Trovato
