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ISHPEMING – Police agencies across the Upper Peninsula have closed their Drug Take Back Program as the Drug Enforcement Agencies told them the program was cut at the federal level, but the DEA says the program is still ongoing.

“Starting Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the City of Ishpeming Police Department will no longer be accepting expired, unwanted or unused medications,” said the Ishpeming Police in a public release. “The reason for the change is the DEA Drug Take Back program is being discontinued by the federal government. At this time, other options are being explored in the hopes of restarting this service for the community in the future.”

Other police departments across the Upper Peninsula have joined Ishpeming in canceling the drug collection program they include but are not limited to: Marquette, Forsyth Township, Negaunee and much more. Yet as these departments cancel the program the DEA still has the program ongoing. This is leading to lots of confusion and the question is still hanging in the air, is the DEA cancelling the Take Back program.

“I did want to answer your question about Take Back Day, and that is, it is false,” said Brian McNeal, public information officer with the DEA Detroit Division. “I am in the Detroit Field division, so we’re responsible for the U.P… The DEA has no plans at this time to discontinue the drug Take Back Day. I’ve learned that it was going around to some law enforcement agencies. and they got some incorrect preliminary information. So I’m just confirming that at this time the DEA has no plans to discontinue the national Drug Take Back initiative.”

The Drug Take Back program sees collections twice every year, and has collected a total amount more than 9,600 tons since the start of the initiative. In 2024 alone, 649 tons of drugs were collected with 9,031 agencies participating. In 2023 it was 632 tons with 8880 participants, in 2022 it was 684 tons with 8767 participants, in 2021 it was 792 tons with 8701 participants and in 2020 it was 934.2 tons and 9049 participants. Yet with the local law enforcement agencies not participating this number is sure to go down, and it is currently unknown if the miscommunication between the DEA and local law enforcement has occurred in other parts of the United States or if this is just an isolated incident. Nonetheless multiple Upper Peninsula departments say the DEA told the the program was over while others say the DEA told them the departments are responsible for destroying the drugs themselves.

“Basically it seems like there is some miscommunication, I think that the program is not going on but the agencies would be in charge of destroying them,” Brian Kjellin Forsyth Township Chief Of Police. “But most agencies don’t have that resource, so we are looking at private business to do the incinerations for us. Right now we don’t have the ability to dispose of the properly.I know that the DEA said that is not what they said, but the email that they sent us that the collection point was terminated for the foreseeable future and that we would be in charge of incinerating them. We put it out to different businesses to see tha cost. Our agency sees within 30-40 pounds (at two separate points in the year) but I don’t think that I can give you a specific date until we get it hashed out. Right now we are looking at doing it inBark River and there is that logistical issue getting it there. It is a great program but we have to work out the logistical issue of working it out.”

Ishpeming is still closing down their program for the time being.

“Right now we are not continuing it until they (the DEA) confirm with us,” said Ishpeming City Chief of Police, Chad Radabaugh. “Once they get in touch with us and confirm that, we will continue the program. We do collect about each drop off, two a year, usually within 40-80 pounds of pills that we get back. It averages a little over 100 pounds a year.”

Negaunee had no new information or thoughts to give on the matter.

“Unfortunately I only have all the information that is already out there,” said Negaunee City Chief of Police Pat Ketola.

Marquette City Chief of Police Ryan Grim could not be reached for comment.

This issue comes as a big change is coming to the DEA, as a new administrator may be taking office soon.

“(We are in the process of) getting a new administrator, but it will be up to him if he is confirmed,” said Diversion Program Manager with Detroit Field Division, Martin Redd. “He is a very big proponent of making sure these drugs are not on the street and the (Drug ) Take Back (Day) is a very successful initiative since we have started it in 2010, so as of now there are no plans to reel it back.