Arizonans turned in nearly 13,000 pounds of controlled substances as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Day last week. 

Nationally, 4,200 law enforcement agencies collected more than 447 tons of expired or unwanted prescription drugs.

The DEA says properly disposing of prescription drugs helps curb the increasing threat of opioid addiction in the country. 

In Arizona, drug overdose deaths are currently the leading cause of injury-related deaths in the state, according to Sheila Sjolander, assistant director for Public Health Prevention Services at the Arizona Department of Health Services.

To date, the DEA reports that Arizonans have turn more than 51 tons of controlled substances for safe disposal.