Law enforcement agencies will be collecting unused or unwanted prescription drugs at nearly 6,000 sites across the country, including more than a dozen in Montgomery County, as part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday.
The event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s effort to counteract the opioid epidemic by disposing of drugs that could potentially be abused.
Last October’s Take Back Day saw 914,236 pounds of prescription drugs collected at 5,839 locations by 4,770 law enforcement organizations, according to the DEA’s Diversion Control Division. Nearly 11 million pounds of prescription drugs have been collected through the program.
The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. A majority of the drugs were obtained from family and friends, usually from the home medicine cabinet.
The county police department is partnering with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse Prevention Office to co-sponsor local efforts. The county will have 15 drop-off locations open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The program is free and anonymous, no questions will be asked, police said. Liquids, illicit drugs, needles, sharps and syringes are not accepted, but sites will take pills and medication patches of all kinds.
Medications returned on Saturday will be incinerated according to federal and state environmental guidelines, police said.
The county sites:
Bethesda
- Montgomery County Police 2nd District Police Station at 4823 Rugby Ave.
Chevy Chase - Village of Friendship Heights Community Center at 4433 S. Park Ave.
- Chevy Chase Village Police Station at 5906 Connecticut Ave.
Gaithersburg
- North Creek Community Center at 20125 Arrowhead Rd.
- Asbury Methodist Village Apartment Center Lobby at 301 Odendhal Ave. Building 405
- Gaithersburg Police Station at 14 Fulks Corner Ave.
Germantown
- Montgomery County Police 5th District Station at 20000 Aircraft Drive
Rockville
- Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington at 6125 Montrose Road
- Rockville City Police Station at 2 W. Montgomery Ave.
- Maryland State Police Rockville Barracks at 7915 Montrose Road
Silver Spring
- Montgomery County Police 3rd District Station at 1001 Milestone Drive
- Silver Spring Civic Center at 1 Veterans Place
- MedStar Pharmacy at 3305 N. Leisure World Blvd.
Takoma Park
- Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Ave.
Wheaton
- Montgomery County Police 4th District Station at 2300 Randolph Road
Charlie Wright can be reached at charlie.wright@moco360.media
