'National Take Back Initiative' at Anne Arundel County Police Department

The Anne Arundel County Police Department will again participate in the "National Take Back Initiative." The initiative is supervised by the DEA and is a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies, focusing on removing potentially dangerous controlled substances from medicine cabinets.

This third national "take-back day" will offer the public the chance to surrender expired, unwanted or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction. The one-day effort highlights the issue of pharmaceutical-controlled substance abuse.

The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at each of the county’s four districts, which will serve as collection sites:

• Northern District, 939 Hammonds Lane, Baltimore, MD 21225 - 410-222-6135
• Eastern District, 3700 Mountain Road, Pasadena, MD 21122 - 410-222-6145
• Western District, 8273 Telegraph Road, Odenton, MD 21113 - 410-222-6155
• Southern District, 35 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater, MD 21037 - 410-222-1961

During the previous two "take-back days," the Anne Arundel County Police Department has recovered more than 200 pounds of unused medications.

"Prescription drug abuse is a major public safety concern and I encourage our citizens to seize this opportunity to remove unneeded prescription drugs from their homes and have them disposed in a safe manner," said Chief of Police Colonel James Teare, Sr in a press release. "By working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, members of the medical community and the public, we can take steps to reduce prescription drug abuse and ensure that these drugs don’t end up in the wrong hands and cause harm."

Here is more information about the event:

• Controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter substances may be collected.
• This 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 person 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 participant should ensure that the cap is tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
• Intra-venous solutions, injectibles, and syringes will not be accepted due to the potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens.
• All participants must retain possession of their own medication during the surrender process.