Drug Take Back Day slated for month’s end

Digital First Media Staff

NORRIST0WN >> Montgomery County is stepping up to rid homes of unwanted drugs by holding its fall Drug Take Back Day.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, police departments throughout Montgomery County will be collecting unwanted, unneeded and expired medications as part of its Drug Take Back Day, organized by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with locations to be announced.

The bi-annual event coincides with the DEA’s nationwide Take Back Day and offers Montgomery County residents a chance to clean out their medicine cabinets of unwanted, unused and expired prescription medication. In addition to helping combat the opioid crisis, the Take Back Day helps ensure water supplies remain safe and healthy by keeping unwanted medicines from being flushed into the water supply or disposed of through trash collections.

“Each time we hold a Drug Take Back Day we collect more and more medications, which means that people are getting the message that they need to get these unwanted medicines out of their homes and have them disposed of in a safe manner,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. “Montgomery County residents are also becoming increasingly aware that there is a direct link between the over-prescription of opioids and the heroin-opioid epidemic. Hopefully people are taking just what they need in terms of their prescription medicines and dis-

On Saturday, Oct. 27, police departments throughout Montgomery County will be collecting unneeded and expired medications.

posing of the rest of the unwanted pills by dropping them off on a Take Back Day or at one of the more than 50 permanent boxes.”

Since the take back program began in 2010, more than 50,000 pounds of medicines have been collected and safely disposed of. The last two Take Back Days have set new records: On April 28, 2018, approximately 7,981 pounds were collected and on Oct. 28, 2017, more than 7,700 pounds were collected totaling 15,770 pounds in one year.

Take Back Day locations will accept prescription and over-the-counter tablets and capsules, liquid medications, inhalers, creams and ointments, nasal sprays and pet medications. Not accepted are intravenous solutions, injectable solutions and needles. Prescription medicines can be in their original bottles with the labels removed or can be placed in zippered plastic bags.

Police departments are currently registering to participate in Take Back Day and a full list of participating departments, as well as the locations of 50 permanent drop boxes can be found on the District Attorney’s website at www.montcopa.org/da.