The first annual Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) "National Take Back Initiative" collected more than 49 pounds of unused and expired prescription drugs at the College Park event Saturday.

The event, which took place at several locations in Washington, D.C. metro-area, went from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The University of Maryland Department of Public Safety and the University of Maryland Mid-Atlantic Water Program hosted the College Park event at the Department of Public Safety's headquarters, which was the closest location to Greenbelt.

The "Take Back Initiative" was organized by Sgt. August Kenner of the UM police department, Daphne Pee of the UM Mid-Atlantic Water Program and Agent Don Hibbert of the DEA.

Several members of the community came out to the event to relinquish their unwanted prescription drugs including residents of College Park, Odenton, Riverdale, Upper Marlboro and University Park.  Special guest, DEA Special Agent in charge of the D.C. area, Ava Cooper-Davis also attended the event.

"Prescription drug abuse is the Nation's fastest-growing drug problem, and take-back events like this one are an indispensable tool for reducing the threat that the diversion and abuse of these drugs pose to public health," said Director of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske. "The Federal/state/and local collaboration represented in this initiative is key in our national efforts to reduce pharmaceutical drug diversion and abuse."

Instead of flushing unused drugs down the toilet, where they can easily leak into the water system, or having them lie around the house where they can potentially be abused, this program served as an anonymous way to safely rid the home of prescription drugs.

According to the UM's Department of Public Safety, both the department and the UM Mid-Atlantic Water Program look forward to participating with the DEA in future "Take Back Day" events.