National Prescription Drug Take Back Day 2020: What To Know

BIRMINGHAM, AL — National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 24, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is taking part in the nationwide initiative.

National Take-Back Day is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. These include prescribed or over-the-counter drugs that are unused or expired.

Residents can drop off unwanted, expired or unused medications at the following locations:

• Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 2651 Center Point Road, Pinson
• Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 5977 Eastern Valley Road in McCalla
• Walmart in Hueytown at 1007 Red Farmer Drive
• Bessemer Police Department at 651 9th Avenue SW

Vaping devices and cartridges will also be accepted, provided batteries have been removed.

These items generally are not accepted at the drop box:

• Needles or other sharps
• Asthma inhalers
• Mercury thermometers
• Iodine-containing medications
• Illicit drugs or substances (including marijuana which is still a schedule 1 drug under federal law), and any prescription medications obtained illegally.

Last year, participants nationwide collected 882,919 pounds of unused medication at more than 6,100 collection sites throughout the country.