Day of resumption of a drug helps keep the remaining drugs out of the reach of the attackers' CBS Denver

By Dillon Thomas

DENVER, CO – In an effort to prevent drug abuse, the Drug Enforcement Agency organized the bi-annual "Drug Takeback" event across the country, including nearly 100 Colorado resorts.

The Resettlement Program offers residents the opportunity to return surplus or surplus prescription drugs that they no longer need to law enforcement authorities. The drugs are then sent to the DEA headquarters, where they are ready to be destroyed.

DEA spokesman Randy Ladd told Dillon Thomas of CBS4 that the opioid crisis in the United States affects 6.2 million people a day, most of whom are Coloradans.

"Colorado is not immune to this opioid epidemic that we face across the country," Ladd said.

Ladd said that many drug addicts, including heroin addicts, had started taking prescription medications.

"Much of the opioid abuse comes from households," Ladd said. "High school students became addicted to heroin after they started taking pills."

Ladd said the remaining pills are often easy to obtain or buy by the abusers.

"They abuse it, they start abusing it. And once they're gone, they'll pick them up with their family and friends, "said Ladd.

Through the recovery event, thousands of pounds of drugs were removed from the street. With the participation of more than 50 Colorado agencies, many remaining drugs were brought to DEA headquarters in Denver.

There they were weighed, packed and loaded into trucks. The trucks will then take them out of the state to be destroyed properly.

Last April, in Colorado, more than 16,000 pounds of pills were collected.

"Across the country, it was 912,000 pounds," Ladd said.

By taking the medication correctly, Ladd hoped that the DEA would prevent other people from embarking on the path of addiction.

Although the DEA organizes the event only twice a year, some venues are open all year. To find out where you can legally release your excess medications, visit DEATakeback.com.

Dillon Thomas is a CBS4 journalist from Colorado. He believes everyone has a story and would like to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.