Officials collected more than 115,000 pounds of expired, unused and unwanted drugs during the 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in New England.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration held the event on Oct. 26. The volume of drugs collected increased by a factor of more than four since the first such event in September 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
The states of Massachusetts and Maine each accounted for more than 40,000 pounds of prescription drugs and vaping devices, the justice department said.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle said the drugs have been "taken out of harm's way across New England.''
