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Drug Take Back Day is October 24
Information in this article was obtained from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration website.
On Saturday, October 24, Cuyahoga County and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will provide the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to one of the many Rx Drug Drop Box locations throughout Cuyahoga County. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 883,000 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the DEA and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners. DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has now collected nearly 6,350 tons of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription medications since the inception of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative in 2010.
In 2019, Cuyahoga County collected 14,213 pounds of unused or expired prescription medication brought in through its Drug Drop Boxes. Since 2013, Cuyahoga County has brought in over 81,000 pounds of prescription drugs.
Cuyahoga County currently has over 60 Rx Drug Drop Boxes located at law enforcement agencies. To keep everyone safe, collection sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.
Rx Drug Drop Boxes provide an environmentally friendly disposal process and reduce the risk of diversion, misuse, and abuse of prescription medications left in your home. All prescription medications can be dropped off, except for liquids, needles, or illicit drugs. DEA and Cuyahoga County also accept vaping devices and cartridges at any of its drop off locations. It is important to note that devices containing lithium ion batteries cannot be accepted. If batteries cannot be removed prior to drop-off, DEA encourages individuals to consult with stores that recycle lithium ion batteries.
If you’re unable to participate on October 24th, you can drop off your unused medications for disposal on another date, as Rx Drug Drop Boxes in Cuyahoga County are available year-round.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides information on how to properly dispose of prescription drugs. More information is available on the FDA's website.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 24 Take Back Day event, go to DEATakeBack.com.
