On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Annapolis Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 17th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Annapolis Police Department’s Station (located at 199 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401) will be accepting pills, patches, lotions, and creams only. For safety and disposal reasons, Needles/Sharps of any form, Epipens, aerosols, and inhalers will not be accepted for drop-off. Currently, Anne Arundel County Police Department’s District Stations and Headquarters are equipped to receive Needles/Sharps and, citizens wishing to dispose of those items, are encouraged to utilize this resource for disposal. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last fall Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of pills.
“This is a great opportunity for residents to clear out their medicine chests,” Mayor Gavin Buckley said. “Not only does it help prevent seniors from taking old or expired medicines, it is also a program that keeps people from taking drugs that weren’t prescribed to them.”
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 27 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com.
