Got Drugs? Police To Collect Unwanted, Unused Prescription Drugs

Police will collect unused, unwanted prescription drugs from people who no longer want or need them as part of the National Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27.

Several drop off points will be located around the Pine-Richland community.

Medications may be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Northland Public Library, located at 300 Cumberland Road in McCandless. Police will arrange for safe disposal of the unwanted drugs.

Allegheny County Police also will collect unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs and other medications from 10 to 2 p.m. at the North Park County Police Station, located at 700 West Ridge Drive.

The local collection drive is part of the national Drug Take-Back Day organized across the country by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. 

During the last Drug Take-Back Day on September 29, 2012, more than 244 tons of unwanted and expired medications were collected at 5,263 sites across the nation, according to the DEA website.

Since its inception in 2010, the effort has safely and properly disposed of nearly 1,018 tons of prescription drugs.

This initiative addresses vital public safety and public health issues, according to the DEA. Here's why:

• Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
• Studies also show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
• Disposing of unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

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