Saturday Is Drug Take Back Day; Residents Are Urged to Dispose of Unwanted Opioids, Prescription Drugs

On Saturday, April 27, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is  joining the effort to collect unwanted prescription drugs during Drug Take Back Day.  The Sheriff’s Office has made special arrangements to have multiple disposal boxes on site to accommodate all those interested in disposing of unwanted prescription drugs, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

The Sheriff’s Office maintains a drug disposal drop box for year round use, but for Drug Take Back Day Saturday, additional containers will be available at the office site.  

However, no liquids or syringes will be accepted. 

Drug Take Back Day is being recognized across the state, as Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, law enforcement agencies and local healthcare agencies are partnering together to bring awareness to the issue and help promote the removal of opioids and unwanted prescription drugs from homes. 

“Opioid abuse and addiction have reached near epidemic levels in Missouri. Allowing Missourians to safely dispose of unwanted or unneeded prescription pills is a step in the right direction to quelling the opioid crisis,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “Leaving unwanted or excess prescriptions in your medicine cabinet can increase the risk of accidental poisoning or overdose, or give teenagers or other household members easy access to prescriptions that aren’t theirs. I urge Missourians to gather up their excess pills and bring them to a Drug Take Back Day location where they can be safely gathered and disposed of.”

According to the Missouri Attorney General’s office, statistics reported last fall show Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, the DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds—nearly 5,500 tons—of pills.

 The rate of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  

Those interested in disposing of unused medicines are advised to participate and bring the drugs to an approved disposal location rather than flushing old or unused drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both methods pose potential safety and health hazard risks.

Individuals are urged to safely dispose of prescription drugs during Drug Take Back Day.

 For more information on Drug Take Back Day, Missourians can visit realopioidpain.com.