Drop Off Unwanted Prescriptions On Arlington's Drug Take-Back Day

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington residents can safely dispose of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines when Arlington County Police participates in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28. The event lets people surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction.

The drop-off program is completely anonymous, no identification is requested of people disposing of prescription medications, and people are therefore encouraged to remove identifying labels from containers.

This is Arlington's 15th time in seven years participating in take-back day to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

Residents can drop off their unwanted meds at various locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

• Langston-Brown Community Center: 2121 N. Culpeper Street
• Fire Station #9: 1900 S. Walter Reed Drive
• Gunston Community Center: 2700 S. Lang Street

Liquid medications should be in a sealed container to prevent leakage (original bottle). Other medications (pills, tablets, etc.) can be in a ziplock bag or will be disposed of directly into the disposal box, and their original containers can be put in a recycling bin.

The police department is not accepting needles or injectibles. Any other type of medication is accepted (controlled, non-controlled, or over the counter).

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs, according to federal authorities. Studies show most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. And, disposing of unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Drugs should not be thrown in the trash unless specific safety precautions for safe disposal are followed.

All the returned medications on Drug Take-Back day will be incinerated according to federal and state environmental guidelines.

"Arlington County is committed to having an open dialogue on the dangers of substance abuse in our community," police said. "Join Arlington County law enforcement, Arlington County Public Schools and Arlington County Human Services for its Substance Use Town Hall: One Crisis, One Community, One Conversation on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, from 7-9 p.m."

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