Saturday Is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Looking for something to do this Saturday? How about dropping off your unused or expired prescription meds and over-the-counter drugs at your local police station or other collection site. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is collaborating with thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country in hosting drop-off locations where the public can safely dispose of unused prescription drugs. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day takes place Saturday, Oct. 27.

Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands with often dangerous and tragic results. The twice yearly event allows the public to clean out their medicine chests and turn in their prescription drugs safely and anonymously, no questions asked.

Medications NOT accepted include liquid drugs, aerosol medications and hypodermic needles and syringes.

The following locations will be accepting unused meds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, or find a collection site near you by using the DEA locator:

• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

• Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, 400 E. 130th St., Chicago
• Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, 6001 W. Pershing Rd., Cicero
• O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant, 3500 Howard St., Skokie
• MWRD collection boxes are also available year round seven days per week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the three plants and Monday through Friday at MWRD’s main office building at 100 E. Erie St., Chicago.

• Evergreen Park Police Department, 9420 S. Kedzie Ave.
• Bridgeview Police Department, 7500 S. Oketo Ave.
• Orland Park Police Department, 15100 S. Ravinia Ave. Year-round collection available Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

These local law enforcement agencies offer year-round collection:

• Oak Lawn Police Department, 9446 Raymond Ave. 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, in the lobby.
• Palos Heights Police Department, 7607 W. College Dr.
• Palos Park Police Department, 8999 W 123rd St.

Since the first drug take-back day was held in 2010, the DEA and local law enforcement have collected over 5,000 tons of unused prescription drugs. During the April 2018 collection, a record 454 tons of drugs were turned in at 6,000 collection sites across the country.

Included in the haul are ever-higher amounts of opioids, the DEA said. Though prescribed for pain management, these highly addictive drugs can be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens.

~ Image via Shutterstock