PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY IS OCTOBER 24

On Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Rehoboth Beach Police Department will join with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to provide you with a safe and legal way to dispose of unused or expired prescription medications. Simply bring them to the collection site in the lobby of the police department at 229 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach.

This nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative seeks to prevent pill abuse and theft. Did you know? (Source: DEA)

• Unused or expired prescription medications are a public-safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse.
• Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision.
• The majority of those abusing prescription drugs, including teens, get them from family and friends or the home medicine cabinet.
• Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. Unused drugs that are flushed can contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.

During this initiative, prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage medications (i.e., tablets and capsules) will be accepted. Intravenous solutions, injectables, needles, hydrogen peroxide, compressed cylinders (asthma inhalers, for example), iodine-containing medications, and thermometers will not be accepted. Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine will also not be accepted during National Take-Back Day. To protect your privacy, you can use a permanent marker to blacken out your personal information on the labels, if you are unable to peel them off, prior to turning them in. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices will also be collected only after the batteries are removed from the devices.

The collection is quick, convenient, and secure – supervised by law enforcement. The collection is free and open to the public; no appointments are necessary. This program is anonymous, and no questions or requests for identification will be made. No effort will be made to count, inventory, or log medications. For more information, please contact the Rehoboth Beach Police Department at 302-227-2577.