County Sites Collect 412 Pounds of Unwanted Drugs

More than 400 pounds of unwanted medications were collected from Anne Arundel County residents at Saturday’s Prescription Drug Take Back day.

The event was held on Sept. 26 and was sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

Several hundred bottles of expired and unused medications were collected from sites at each of the county’s four police districts and police headquarters.

About 412 pounds of various prescription medications were collected. These drugs were turned over to the DEA for proper disposal.

Each collection site was staffed with a representative from the Police Department, as well as a DEA investigator, to answer any questions or concerns about medications getting into the wrong hands and the abuse of prescription drugs.

Residents were told of the harm caused by flushing unused medications down the toilet and how it affects the water, septic systems, the environment and overall public safety. The Anne Arundel County Health Department also had members at collection sites to provide information on treatment programs and other services.

In Annapolis, a permanent prescription drug drop-off box is now located in the lobby of the police department at 199 Taylor Ave. It’s open during business hours.

County drop-off locations are:

• Police headquarters, 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville
• Northern District, 939 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park
• Eastern District, 204 Pasadena Road, Pasadena
• Western District, 8273 Telegraph Road, Odenton
• Southern District, 35 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater

County residents can use the drop boxes for unused medication in the lobby of each of the four police districts at any time. These drop boxes are available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The county police Headquarters drop box in the lobby is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

»Unwanted medications collected at Drug Take Back Day, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police