Andover Police Take Back Prescription Drugs Saturday

ANDOVER, MA — Those unused prescription drugs piling up in your medicine cabinet are a powerful lure, especially the painkillers that contribute to America’s opioid crisis, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has called a public health emergency that claims about 130 lives a day. Saturday, April 27, is your chance to dispose of them safely in Andover, before they end up in the wrong hands.

We get it. You’ve been meaning to get rid of those unused or expired prescriptions but aren’t sure how to do it. But kudos for not flushing them down the toilet, practices that can harm the environment.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration is working with law enforcement agencies across the country in the 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Andover police will collect unused prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the West Elementary School. Contact Officer Cataldo at 978-475-0411 x1004 if you have questions.

If you can’t make it there/to any of those locations, find a drug take back site here.

The service is free and anonymous. All pills will be accepted, but liquids, needles and sharps can’t be taken during this event. The Environmental Protection Agency offers guidance on disposing of sharps and other medical waste.The Food and Drug Administration offers tips on getting rid of liquid medicines that are expired or no longer needed.

Now in its ninth year, the collections have yielded more than 11 million pounds — that’s more than 5,400 tons — of prescription drugs.

DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said helping people dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications is one of the ways the agency works to break the cycle of addiction and drug overdose deaths.

“Addiction causes a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, not just for those addicted to drugs, but also for their families and friends,” Dhillon said in a news release.

It’s not just opioids that pose dangers. Expired prescription drugs can be less effective or risky due to changes over time in chemical composition. Some expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Expired antibiotics may not treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance, the DEA said.

Prescription drug abuse often starts with a legal prescription, and the majority of drug abusers say they get their drugs from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet, the DEA said.