National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Planned In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you have expired or unused prescription drugs taking up space in your medicine cabinet, Fairfax County residents will have an opportunity to safely get rid of them Saturday.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday. The purpose of the twice-annual event is to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs so they don't get misused or abused.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration will host the 22nd event in cooperation with law enforcement agencies. During the April 2021 event, agencies collected nearly 840,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs. In Alexandria, 2052.6 pounds of unused medications were collected at drug take back events and year-round collection boxes in 2021.

The service is free and anonymous, but needles are not accepted at the event or Alexandria's year-round drop boxes. Needles and syringes may be dropped off at a designated drop box, located inside the visitor’s entrance at Inova Alexandria Hospital.

Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office will collect unused prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the following locations:

• Chinquapin Parking Lot Circle (3210 King Street) next to Alexandria City High School
• Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (3600 Wheeler Ave.)
• Fire Station 210 (5255 Eisenhower Ave.)
• The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.)

If you can't make it to any of those locations, permanent drop boxes are available year round at Neighborhood Pharmacy, 2204 Mt Vernon Avenue, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Inova Alexandria Hospital's visitor's venter lobby, daily during visiting hours, and Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (inside front entrance, ring bell for access), 3600 Wheeler Avenue, 24 hours a day.

Each year, millions of people misuse prescription pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives that year.

The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.

More than 96,700 people died from opioid-involved overdoses during the 12-month period ending in March 2021, according to provisional estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers guidance on items not accepted during take-back events, including the disposal 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.
Given the ongoing pandemic, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency also have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs without leaving home.

In Alexandria, residents may request a Deterra drug disposal pouch to be mailed or pick up free drug disposal kits.