Health Department Promotes National Prescription Take-Back Day

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is coordinating another National Drug Take-Back Initiative across the United States on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Since their first event in 2010, the take-backs have removed nearly 17 million pounds of unneeded medications from communities across the country.

In support of this event, the Garrett County Health Department reminds everyone that the county has three permanent medication drop box locations, including Oakland City Hall, Garrett County Sherriff’s Office, and the Maryland State Police Barracks in McHenry. These locations accept tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs, but not liquids, syringes and other sharps, or illegal drugs. 

According to the Washington Division of the DEA, the misuse of unused medications has become a significant public safety issue in our area, leading to accidental poisonings, abuse, and many overdoses. The take-back event provides an opportunity for everyone to dispose of unwanted medications in a safe way and remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our communities, keep our local families safe, and reduce the number of drug overdoses across the area.

“Safeguarding your medications is important even if you don’t have children in your home,” said Sadie Liller, Prevention Coordinator at the Garrett County Health Department. “Protect everyone who may be in and out of your home, like pet sitters, repairmen, and family and friends by getting unneeded medications out of the house.”

“Another way to get rid of medication is to put wet coffee grounds or wet kitty litter into a plastic bag, mix in the medication, seal it up, and throw it into your household trash,” Liller said. “It’s so simple to do our part to help control this crisis.”

The Health Department also has Deterra medication disposal pouches available at their office. The pouches use patented technology for simple and environmentally safe disposal of prescription drugs by adding water to the powder in the bag. The mixture neutralizes the drugs, making it safe to dispose of the entire pouch and its contents in your regular household trash.

“The Take Back campaign is part of DEA’s continued efforts to protect our communities and create healthier environments by offering the safe disposal of medications,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We appreciate the community support we see during these events and encourage everyone to remove unneeded medications from their home.”

For more information call 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111. This program is provided by the Garrett County Health Department through funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration.