Maryland State Police, in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), are urging residents to dispose of unneeded prescription medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event will be held on April 22, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Maryland State Police barracks across the state.
According to the Maryland Department of Health, the state recorded 2,154 opioid-related fatal overdoses between January 2022 and January 2023, with 320 of them being prescription opioid-related fatalities. DEA officials state that a significant number of teenagers who abuse prescription medications find an unlimited supply in their family’s medicine cabinet.
The aim of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription medications, while also educating the public about the potential for misuse.
Residents can drop off all unneeded prescription medications at each Maryland State Police barrack, which will act as a collection station. During the last Prescription Drug Take Back event in October 2022, the Maryland State Police collected over 570 pounds of unneeded prescription medications, including 80 pounds from the Frederick barrack, 73 pounds from the College Park barrack, 49 pounds from the Rockville barrack, and 44 pounds from the Golden Ring barrack. Since 2014, the Maryland State Police have removed more than 26,000 pounds of unneeded prescription medications to prevent medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
To further combat opioid misuse, Maryland State Police barracks have become around-the-clock drop-off locations for unneeded prescription medications. All 23 Maryland State Police barracks are now equipped with secure drug collection boxes, and residents can drop off unneeded prescription medications at any time. The drop-off boxes are confidential, and no questions will be asked when deposits are made.
Residents can locate the closest Maryland State Police barrack by visiting https://bit.ly/3L27LDj.
The Maryland State Police are part of the Opioid Operational Command Center, which aims to collaborate with state and local public health, human services, education, and public safety entities to combat the Heroin and Opioid Crisis and its deadly impact on Maryland communities. Before It’s Too Late is the state’s effort to bring awareness to this epidemic and mobilize resources for effective prevention, treatment, and recovery.
To ensure that prescription medications don’t get into the wrong hands, residents are encouraged to do their part by keeping them safe, cleaning them out, and taking them back.