OH (WLIO) - If you have unused or expired medications at home that you need to get rid of, you're in luck.
This Saturday, April 27, 2024, is the annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where locations around the area will be taking unused prescriptions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and disposing of them safely and securely.
Officials from the Drug Enforcement Agency say you should avoid holding on to unused medications due to the risk of children or other family members using them. And flushing them down the toilet could cause long-term environmental problems.
"Last year, the Detroit Field Division collected more than 60,000 pounds of prescription medication—40,000 in Ohio, 20,000 in Michigan. And that is a lot of fuel that could be fueling current addiction, and also is stopping new addictions that are happening," says Brian McNeal, PIO, DEA Detroit Region. "So, clearing out those medicine cabinets is an effective step in preventing overdoses and drug abuse."
Ohio is second in the nation in the number of drop-off locations and has the most drug take-back partners, like law enforcement and local organizations. If you would like to find a drop-off location in your area, log on to https://www.dea.gov/takebackday and type in your zip code.
