Drop Off Unwanted Prescriptions on Drug Take-Back Day 2015

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Residents can safely clear out unused or expired prescription drugs during Drug Take-Back Day planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

Several Montgomery County law enforcement agencies will take part in the effort to curb prescription drug abuse and theft.

The Rockville City Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will hold their Drug Take day on May 30.

On May 2, nine drop-off locations throughout Montgomery County will accept prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications only. Liquids, illicit drugs, needles, sharps and syringes cannot be accepted as part of the take-back program. Officers will staff collection boxes in the parking lots of the following facilities or in their lobbies:

Chevy Chase:

• MCP 2nd District Police at Village of Friendship Heights Community Center – 4433 S. Park Ave, Chevy Chase
• Chevy Chase Village Police Station – 5906 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase

Gaithersburg:

• MCP 1st District Station – 100 Edison Park Rd, Gaithersburg
• MCP 6th District Station – 45A West Watkins Mill Rd., Gaithersburg.
• Gaithersburg Police Station -14 Fulks Corner Ave., Gaithersburg

Germantown:

• MCP 5th District Station – 20000 Aircraft Dr., Germantown

Silver Spring:

• MCP 3rd District Station – 1002 Milestone Dr., Silver Spring

Takoma Park:

• Takoma Park Police Station in the Takoma Park Community Center Building Lobby – 7500 Maple Ave, Takoma Park

Wheaton:

• MCP 4th District Station – 2300 Randolph Rd., Wheaton

Police are most interested in collecting medications containing controlled substances, but will accept pills and medication patches of all kinds. If possible, prescription labels should be removed or personal information should be blacked out. No questions will be asked.

Disposing of them through a drug take-back day is the safest option. If it is safe to dispose of a drug by flushing it down a toilet, the drug label or prescription information will indicate that option is an appropriate means of disposal.

Drugs should not be thrown in the trash unless these safety precautions are followed:

• Place unwanted or expired medication into a plastic bag (with a seal) or other empty container with a lid to prevent liquid medications from leaking out.
• Mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds or sawdust. (Liquid medications can be solidified using kitty litter or sawdust.)
• Seal the bag and/or container.
• Crush pills or tablets.
• Put the container and/or bag containing the medication into your regular household trash.
• Remove the label with the patient’s name from the original medicine vial or bottle.
• Place the empty plastic vial or bottle into your blue County recycling bin. Empty aerosol inhalers can also be recycled in the County recycling bins.

Unused and/or expired medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Studies show that most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

All the medications collected on Drug Take-Back day will be incinerated by police.