WEBVTT ERIN: NOW TO OUR STATE OF ADDICTION COVERAGE. IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME AGAIN, NATIONAL DRUG TAKEBACK DAY. LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 5,000 POUNDS OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION WAS COLLECTED IN PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THE TREASURE COAST. WPBF 25 IS PARTNERING WITH THE DEA ONCE AGAIN TO HOPEFULLY SURPASS THAT NUMBER ON SATURDAY. I’M HERE WITH JOHN MCKENNA, DEA’S ASSISTANT SPECIAL IN CHARGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE. LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE HEADWAY WE HAVE MADE WITH DRUG TAKEBACK DAYS. >> WE STARTED THIS IN 2010, AND EACH YEAR WE HAVE INCREASED THE AMOUNT WE HAVE TAKEN BACK. PEOPLE LIKE THIS NEWS STATION HAVE BEEN GREAT, PUTTING OUT THE WORD TO DROP OFF THESE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. ERIN: YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE COLLABORATION WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES. EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT, IS TALKING ABOUT THIS. >> WE WERE CANNED IN HAND WITH ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. WE GO OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS. ERIN: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR "FRIENDS FROM CHINA" AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET ON A COMMUTER AND -- COMPUTER AND ANONYMOUSLY BY OPIOIDS. >> IT IS INSANITY HOW EASY IT IS. THEY CAN ORDER FAT NOW -- FENTANYL OR A DERIVATIVE. ERIN: HOW DO YOU STOP THAT? >> WE WORK WITH OUR CHINESE COUNTERPARTS. THE HAVE BEEN RECEPTIVE WITH OUR IDEAS. WE ALSO WORK WITH POSTAL AND TARGET CERTAIN PACKAGES THAT COME IN. WE HAVE HAD VERY GOOD SUCCESS. ERIN: FIGHTING THE DRUG EPIDEMIC IN THE 1980’S, YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THESE PEOPLE AND NOW, YOU HAVE THE INTERNET. >> IT IS A WHOLE NEW CHALLENGE. RECENTLY, WE INDICTED FIVE CHINESE NATIONALS. WE DO OUR PART. WE GO ON THE DARK WEB AND LOOK FOR THESE PEOPLE. ERIN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THE DRUG TAKE NEXT SINCE 2010. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOW GETTING THE PUBLIC’S ATTENTION. DO WE HAVE A HANDLE ON THIS OR DO WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO? >> WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO. THE PELL-MELL’S WHERE THE START OF THIS -- PILL MILLS WERE THE START OF THIS. WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. ERIN: THE DRUG TAKEBACK IS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING PRESCRIPTIONS? >> ANONYMOUS. WE WANT THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY TO DROP OFF THEIR UNUSED DRUGS. WE DO NOT WANT IT TO GET IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN OR TO BE SOLD ON THE BLACK MARKET. NO ONE WILL ASK QUESTIONS. DROP OFF YOUR UNUSED NARCOTICS. ERIN LITERALLY, DRIVE UP, DROP OFF, DRIVE AWAY. >> I WILL SHAKE YOUR HAND. ERIN: I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME WITH US. WPBF 25 IS PARTNERING WITH THE DEA FOR NATIONAL DRUG TAKEBACK DAY. NOW IS THE TIME TO TURN IN DRUGS SAFELY, PREVENT PILL ABUSE AND THEFT OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EXPIRED AND UNUSED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. THE DEA SAYS MOST PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSERS GET THEIR FIX FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THAT IS WHY THIS DAY IS SO IMPORTANT. TAKEBACK DAY IS THIS SATURDAY APRIL 28 FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. WE WILL BE AT TWO LOCATIONS, THE FIRST WILL BE AT THE BOCA RATON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT IS WHERE MARK KELLY WILL BE. THE OTHER WILL BE AT THE WALGREENS ON 1600 ST. LUCIE WEST BOULEVARD IN PORT ST. LU