Garrett County Joins the Nationwide Efforts to Combat Prescription Drug Misuse Through the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

By Shannon Sexton, Program Coordinator

Garrett County is proud to join the nationwide effort to combat prescription drug misuse by participating in the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025. This annual event offers a safe, anonymous, and convenient way for community members to dispose of unused, expired, or unwanted medications.

In addition, this year, Garrett County Health Department is hosting three special take-back events throughout April at the following locations:

• Garrett County Health Fair at the CARC on Saturday, April 5, 2024, from 9 am-4 pm
• Grantsville Dollar General on Thursday, April 17 from 11 am-1 pm
• Kitzmiller Library on Thursday, April 24, from 11 am-1 pm

These events provide an important opportunity to ensure medications do not fall into the wrong hands or harm the environment. Residents can safely discard tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid prescription drugs. Liquids, syringes, and illegal substances will not be accepted.

Prescription drug misuse remains a critical public safety issue, often leading to accidental poisonings, addiction, and overdoses, with many misused medications originating from home medicine cabinets. Safe disposal is essential to prevent diversion, misuse, and environmental contamination caused by improper disposal methods. In 2023, Maryland residents safely disposed of 10,638 pounds of medications during April’s Take Back month, contributing to the 670,136 pounds collected nationwide. Locally, Garrett County residents collected 201.5 pounds of medications through its permanent drop-off locations for the entire year. These efforts underscore the commitment of our community to addressing prescription drug abuse, protecting loved ones, and promoting public health.

In addition to the Take Back events, residents can use the following permanent drop-off locations year-round:

• Oakland City Police (Town Hall) 
• Garrett County Sheriff’s Office
• Maryland State Police Barracks in McHenry

These drop boxes accept solid prescription drugs, but CANNOT accept liquids, syringes, or illegal substances.

For those unable to visit the drop boxes or attend the Take Back events, the Garrett County Health Department offers Deterra medication disposal pouches, which provide a simple and environmentally friendly way to neutralize and dispose of medications at home. Medications can also be mixed with wet coffee grounds or kitty litter, sealed in a plastic bag, and disposed of in household trash.

Garrett County residents are encouraged to take part in this year’s Take Back Day and help make our community safer and healthier. Together, we can reduce the risk of prescription drug misuse and build a stronger, drug-free community.

For more information about the event, contact Shannon Sexton at the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111. This initiative is supported by funding from the Maryland Department of Health and SAMHSA.