Several Pittsburgh Area Police Departments Participate In Prescription Drug Take Back Day
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - As the United States continues to see an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, police departments across the country, including in Pittsburgh, took part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
A few of the locations across the area collected more than 1,000 pounds of unused, unwanted, and expired medications.
Allegheny County Police, Pittsburgh Police, and Shaler Police Departments all did their part to make sure these medications don't get into the hands of people that are not prescribed them.
County police hosted three collection sites, Pittsburgh Police held a collection at their headquarters, as well as six of their stations.
They collected 34 boxes, weighing 672 pounds.
Shaler Township Police also collected 14 boxes, which came to a total of 296 points at their site at the Shaler North Hills Library.
Norma Hufnagel and her husband started the take-back event in Shaler Township in honor of their son David.
"Years ago, he got a bad batch of heroin and he passed away and we as mother and father, we decided now we can wallow in this, or we can make a change," she said.
Norma said that drugs don't just devastate one life, but everyone around them, including the community.
KDKA's Jessica Guay will have more on KDKA News at 10 and 11, including David's story and why his parents began the event.