The Drug Enforcement Administration and other organizations are inviting the public to dispose of unused medications and opioids safely and anonymously from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The program is part of National Prescription Take Back Days, which biannually allow residents to drop off any old medications they may have.
A list of participating locations is on the DEA’s website. They retailers Publix, Walgreens, and CVS.
Collection sites will accept tablets, capsules, patches and other forms of prescription drugs. Liquids such as cough syrup should remain sealed in the original container with the cap tightly sealed to prevent leakage
Sites won't take syringes, sharps and illicit drugs.
Vaping devices and cartridges will be accepted only if lithium batteries are removed.
Drug misuse and overdoses remain a growing problem in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported that 107,000 Americans died last year from drug overdoses, a nearly 15% increase from 2020. Although, the CDC noted the 2021 increase was half of what it was a year ago when overdose deaths rose 30% from 2019 to 2020.
The DEA coordinates drug take-back days with state and local law enforcement. During the last take-back day, nearly 4,500 law enforcement officers participated, helping collect more than 720,000 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs, according to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
“Expired and unused medications can have devastating effects if they fall into the wrong hands, fueling addictions or even causing overdose deaths,” Moody said in a statement. “I encourage all Floridians with unused medications to please participate in Drug Take Back Day and dispose of these potentially deadly substances. This small action could save a life.”
