Garrett County taking back unwanted prescription drugs April 27

On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and thousands of local sites across the nation 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.

Bring your pills for disposal to any of the three Garrett County Drug Take Back Sites: Oakland City Hall (8:30-4:30); Garrett County Sheriff’s Office (24/7; and McHenry State Police Barrack (24/7).  These drop boxes are available nearly around the clock, but can only accept pills or patches, not liquids, needles, or sharps.  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 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.

Interested persons may come to the Garrett County Health Department, Room 206, to pick up a Deterra® Drug Deactivation Pouch to use for disposal of medication in household trash. The system deactivates prescription drugs using activated carbon, rendering them inert, unavailable for misuse and safe for the environment.

The local drop boxes are provided by Garrett County Drug-Free Communities Coalition to prevent prescription and opioid abuse in cooperation with the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, Oakland Town Hall, the Behavioral Health Administration, and SAMSHA. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the National Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com or call the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.