Residents can drop off unused & expired prescriptions at three locations locally.
Pikesville, Md (KM) If you have any unused or expired prescription medications in your home, you have the opportunity to get rid of them this weekend. The Maryland State Police and other law enforcement agencies are taking part in National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27th. The hours are from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
State Police spokesman Ron Snyder says it’s important to get these medications out of your house and away from family members. “It’s not only a health issue. It’s a safety issue. We want to provide people with a safe way to dispose of these medications,” Snyder says. In addition, he says these medications will be disposed of safely.
Police agencies in Maryland and other parts of the country are partnering with the US Drug Enforcement Administration in this effort. The DEA says a majority of teenagers who become addicted to prescription medications are finding an unlimited supply in their families’ medicine cabinets.
Snyder says all 23 Maryland State Police Barracks will serve as drop off points on Saturday, including the one in Frederick at Airport Drive East. But he also says you can still get rid of these drugs even National Drug Take Back Day is over because each barrack has a place to dispose of any unwanted or expired medications. . “If you can come out between ten and two, that’s great. We’d love to have you. But if for some reason you can’t or you forget or what you, you can come to us at anytime, any day of the week at any time, and we’ll help you dispose of such medications,” he says.
He also says the State Police have been successful in hosting National Drug Take Back Day because it’s taken a lot of prescription medications out of circulation. “As far as the Maryland State Police, we’ve collected close to 20,000 pounds through similar events,” he says. “We typically had two {collections} a year, one on the spring and one in the fall since 2014.”
In October, 2018, State Police removed close to 1,895 pounds of medications out of circulation.
There are two other locations in Frederick County where residents can drop off unused and expired medications. One is the former Trinity School parking lot on New Design Road. Citizens coming to that location can also drop off syringes, needles, lancets and auto injectors, the only place where these devices will be collected.. They must be kept away from medications.
The other location is Echo Lake at 2011 Monument Road in Myersville. That site will be operated by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
These following items can be dropped off: prescription and over-the-counter medications; medical samples; pet medicines; and medicated ointments and lotions.
By Kevin McManus