(MURFREESBORO) Middle Tennessee State University's participation in the nationwide DRUG TAKE BACK program netted nearly 62 pounds of old meds.

MTSU Pharmacy Extern Susan Martin said that the public contributed 61.7 pounds which included 37.6 pounds of over-the-counter, 22. 6 pounds of prescription medications and 1.5 pounds of controlled substances.

National coordinators asked those who were turning-in old prescriptions to leave them in their original, marked bottles. In addition, no needles were accepted

This event was part of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) overall efforts to remove excess drugs from communities where they could be abused or misused, diverted into the wrong hands or disposed of in environmentally unsafe ways.

The event, part of a national Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, aims to provide a safe, secure and environmentally responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse and trafficking of medications.