There will be two locations in Frederick County which will take medications, sharps.
Frederick, Md (KM) This Saturday is National Drug Take Back Day. Nate Smith with the Frederick County Health Department says residents can drop off their unused or expired medications between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the Health Department at 350 Montevue Lane, or the Law Enforcement Center at 110 Airport Drive.
“We are taking prescription and over the counter medicine but in pill form or patch form only. No liquids,” he says.
Smith says citizens can also drop off sharps such as needles, syringes, lancets and auto injectors. “Any sharps have to be kept separate, and we would appreciate if people kept a count of how many sharps they are providing,,” he says.
These medications and sharps are turned over to the US Drug Enforcement Administration which will incinerate them.
This National Drug Take Back Day has been around for several years, and Smith says it’s very popular locally. “Things like the weather and stuff can affect the turnout on a single day. But we always collect hundreds of pounds of medication,” he says.
Smith also says disposing of these medications is far better than throwing them out with the trash since someone might find them and abuse them. “The other thing is the environmental impact,” he says. “If everyone just threw their pills out, or everyone flushes them down the sink or the toilet or something, it would add to a severe environmental impact.”
For those who cannot make for this Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day, Smith says many police agencies and some pharmacies collect these materials all year round; and some pharmacies will take liquid medications. He says it’s best to call these agencies before you bring them your medications.
By Kevin McManus