- Office of the Attorney General’s statewide program has collected and destroyed nearly 300 tons of prescription drugs since 2017.
- Pocono Raceway has collected more than 450 pounds of medications in the first five years serving as the state’s only large-scale drug take back effort.
LONG POND, Pa. (June 27, 2024) – Pocono Raceway, which hosts the only large-scale Drug Take Back program of its kind in Pennsylvania, will partner with the Office of the Attorney General for a sixth consecutive year to assist in combating the opioid epidemic during its July 12-14 NASCAR race weekend.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, in partnership with Pocono Raceway, will continue to provide an example for other large venues and sports organizations on the importance of embracing the state’s initiatives to fight this rampant national epidemic.
Since 2017, the OAG’s statewide Drug Take Back program has collected and destroyed nearly 300 tons of prescription drugs. Since the OAG had its first partner event with Pocono Raceway a year later, more than 450 pounds of medications have been gathered at the track during its annual NASCAR race weekend.
“My office’s continued efforts to fight the opioid epidemic have resulted in the disposal of 300 tons of medications through drug take-back events statewide,” Attorney General Henry said. “These expired or unneeded medications could have easily fallen into the wrong hands, but vigilance and action from community members ensured they were instead safely destroyed.
“Our friends at Pocono Raceway have been partners with us in these efforts for six years now, and I am so grateful for their help. Join us at this year’s race, so we can all have fun while being responsible about what medications we keep in our homes. See you at the Raceway!”
Fans visiting on any of the three days of the upcoming NASCAR tripleheader weekend can contribute to the initiative by bringing unneeded and outdated prescription medications to the track. They will be able to safely dispose of them at the OAG’s Drug Take Back drop-off location under the flagpole just outside the raceway’s main entrance.
“The opioid epidemic continues to plague Pennsylvanians, and Pocono Raceway is proud to use our platform in partnership with The Office of the Attorney General to educate and offer a take-back location for race fans to dispose of unneeded and expired medication,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said.
The Office of the Attorney General released a special report in 2022 on fentanyl becoming
the dominant opioid in Pennsylvania and increasingly found in counterfeit pills. The
report noted that a single fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill is enough to cause an overdose and possibly death. Click HERE to watch the video of Attorney General Henry and May discuss the opioid epidemic and how race attendees can make a difference.
The Pocono Raceway three-day weekend will feature a NASCAR national series race each day. The CRC Brakleen 175 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race will open the action Friday, July 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. The Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 will follow Saturday, July 13, at 3 p.m. The weekend will be highlighted by The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA Cup Series race Sunday, July 14, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
For ticket information and news on the NASCAR race weekend, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.
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About Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway, also known as ‘The Tricky Triangle,’ is family-owned and situated in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In business for over 50 years, the Raceway hosts multiple, national motorsports events including the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events each year. The facility’s calendar also consists of over 200 events including Elements Music & Arts Festival and a wide range of non-motorsports entertainment, car clubs and racing schools. Pocono Raceway is recognized as the world’s first, privately-owned solar-powered sports facility. Their 25-acre, three-megawatt solar farm provides the energy needs of the Raceway, as well as, adds electricity to the local power grid. Each member of our raceway staff is committed to creating exciting experiences and lifelong memories. For more information, please visit www.poconoraceway.com.
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