Residents can safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs.
Pikesville, Md (KM) This weekend, the Maryland State Police will; be taking part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Spokeswoman Elena Russo says it’s an opportunity for residents to dispose of unwonted, unused or expired prescription medications. “We find it to be a great way not only to educate the general public about the dangers of keeping unwanted or expired mediations in their home. But we also find it an easy way to offer our citizens a means to drop off these prescription drugs in an safe and responsible way,” she says.
Russo says it’s a safer alternative to leaving these drugs around the house, or throwing them in the trash. “The goal here is to remove the risk of someone using and abusing these drugs because we know that this can certainly lead to addiction or even worse, an overdose,” she said. “Especially with opioids in particular. They can be fatal especially if they’re mixed with alcohol.”
The Maryland Department of Health says from January, 2022 to January, 2023, there were 2,154 opioid-related fatal overdoses in the state, and 320 were prescription overdose fatalities. The Drug Enforcement Administration says a majority of teenagers abusing prescription medications find an unlimited supply of these drugs in the family medicine cabinet.
Russo says the DEA has sponsored National Prescription Drug Take Back Day for more than two decades, with participation from law enforcement agencies around the country, including the Maryland State Police. She says the State Police participate because it’s very effective in taking unused prescription medications out of circulation. “Our statistics show that State Police have been successful in removing several thousand pounds of these unneeded prescription medications from people’s possession. And that’s been since 2014,” says Russo.
The National Prescription Take Back Day takes place two times a year, in the spring and the fall. . State Police say during the October, 2022, Take Back Day, troopers collected more than the 570 pounds of unneeded prescription medications, and that includes over 80 pounds collected from the Frederick Barrack.
National Drug Take Back day is scheduled for Saturday, April 22nd from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM at all 23 State Police Barracks in Maryland, including the one in Frederick at 110 Airport Drive. The locations of all the State Police Barracks can be found at mdsp.maryland.gov
“And if you can’t make it this Saturday, you are welcome year round to stop by any one of our 23 barrack drop off locations because I guarantee you, we are open 24/7, and that box will be there to accept any of your disposals,” says Russo.
By Kevin McManus