Wheat Ridge Police Offer Drug Take Back Day on April 28

WHEAT RIDGE, CO -- From the Wheat Ridge Police Dept. WRPD and Lutheran Medical Center will partner again this year for National Drug Take Back Day offering local residents a way to dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

On Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., the Wheat Ridge Police Department, Lutheran Medical Center, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Pills and patches can be dropped off for disposal at Lutheran Medical Center’s main entrance at 8300 W. 38th Ave. in Wheat Ridge. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous. No questions will be asked.

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,” stated Wheat Ridge Police Chief Dan Brennan. “We are proud to work with the DEA to bring this important event to our community twice a year to help keep out-of-date and unused medications from being misused and from contaminating our water system.”

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, flushing unused medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

Last October, Wheat Ridge Police collected 238 lbs. of prescription drugs adding to the national total of 456 tons that were collected from nearly 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the spring Drug Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website.

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