FREDERICK, MD — On Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., local law enforcement agencies and community partners will be accepting unwanted and expired medications as part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day effort sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). This national event has seen great success in its previous attempts collecting more than 4.8 million pounds – or 2,411 tons – of medication nationally. This effort prevents pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications.

According to the 2013 Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey results, 11.5% of Frederick County high school seniors reported taking a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription one or more times in the past 30 days. Additionally, 23.6% of Frederick County high school seniors surveyed reported taking a prescription drug (such as OxyContin, Percocet, codein, or prescription one or more times during their life. These percentages for Frederick County are higher than the State of Maryland rates of 10.9% and 18.6% respectively. Furthermore, results from the Maryland Opioid Misuse Prevention Survey, conducted in March, revealed that 67% of survey respondents reported that people get prescription opioids by stealing them from family members and 58% of respondents got painkillers from friends. Seventy percent (70%) of respondents reported that unused medications should be disposed of during a “medication collection event” and 60% responded that unused medications should be dropped off in a medication disposal box. “While it’s good news that residents know how to safely dispose of unwanted medications, more needs to be done to keep these items out of the hands of unintended users” states Todd Crum, Prevention Supervisor with the Frederick County Health Department, Behavioral Health Services Division. “Drug Take Back events and medication drop boxes provide residents with two safe and easy options to discard of unwanted and expired medications”, Crum continues.

On Saturday, September 26 between 10am and 2pm, local law enforcement agencies will set up and participate in drug take back collection efforts around Frederick County. Local collection sites include:

• Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium - 21 Stadium Dr, Frederick, MD 21703

• Natural Resources Police - 2011 Monument Road, Myersville, MD 21773
• Maryland State Police, Frederick Barracks - 110 Airport Drive East, Frederick, MD 21701 Residents are encouraged to take an active role in this drug prevention event to safely discard unwanted and expired medications. The following items may be dropped off during the event or at one of the drop-off sites: prescription and over-the-counter medications, medical samples, pet medications, and medicated ointments and lotions. Participants may dispose of their medication in its original container and are strongly encouraged to remove any identifying information from the prescription label.

For more information about the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day initiative, visit www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback. For information about the dangers of prescription medication misuse and the dangers of alcohol and drug use, please visit www.drugfree.org , www.takebackemylife.org, www.medicineabuseproject.org or contact the Frederick County Health Department at 301-600-1755 or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/BHS .