Drop Off Unwanted Prescriptions on Drug Take-Back Day

Residents can safely dispose of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines on Saturday, Sept. 27, when the Anne Arundel County Police Department participates in the ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative.

The event lets people surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department will also use the drug take-back day to showcase its permanently installed drop boxes at each district police station. The boxes have been installed so the public can dispose of unused or unwanted medications at any time and in a secure environment.

Authorities say the same policies established for the drug take-back day apply to the drop boxes.

Drug Take-Back Day will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27. A police representative from the Anne Arundel County Police Department will be on hand at each of the county’s four districts and police headquarters, which will serve as collection sites.

Locations are:

• Anne Arundel Police Headquarters, 8495 Veterans Highway in Millersville
• Northern District, 939 Hammonds Lane in Baltimore, (410) 222-6135
• Eastern District, 3700 Mountain Road in Pasadena, (410) 222-6145
• Western District, 8273 Telegraph Road in Odenton, (410) 222-6155
• Southern District, 35 Stepneys Lane in Edgewater, (410) 222-1961

Guidelines for Drug Take-Back Day

• Controlled, non-controlled, and over-the-counter substances will be collected.
• The program is anonymous and no requests for identification will be made.
• Participants may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box. If an original container is submitted, the individual should remove any identifying information from the prescription label.
• All solid dosage pharmaceutical product and liquids in consumer containers may be accepted. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The depositor should ensure that the cap is tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
• Intravenous solutions, injectibles, and syringes will not be accepted.
• Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers. If someone tries to surrender an illicit controlled substance, officers should handle such material as abandoned property in accordance with department policy.
• All participants must retain possession of their own medication during the surrender process.