Delaware will hold its 16th Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 28, 2018, to help reduce the risk of prescription medications being diverted for misuse. Delawareans can discard their expired or unused medications at 24 locations statewide between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Organized nationally, by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and locally, by the Division of Public Health (DPH), the twice-a-year event has resulted in 76,474 pounds of medication being collected in 15 events since 2010. Properly discarding unused medications is an important ongoing event in the effort to address the nationwide opioid epidemic. Doing so reduces the risk of addiction by keeping prescription medications out of the hands of people who may misuse, abuse, or sell them, and helps reduce the risk of drug overdoses. Proper disposal also protects our groundwater from medications being flushed down the toilet.
“I am grateful to the citizens across our state who take seriously their responsibility to rid their homes of expired, unwanted or unnecessary medications,” Governor John Carney said. “To reduce the toll that addiction is having on our state, we are combining education and prevention efforts like the Drug Take-Back Day efforts, with strong law enforcement and control measures, and an expanding treatment and recovery system.”
“Unwanted, expired or unused prescription medications are often an unintended catalyst for addiction,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Participating in Drug Take-Back Days provides the average person a concrete way they can make a difference in the ongoing opioid epidemic our state is facing. By taking the important step of cleaning out medicine cabinets, you can make your home safe from potential prescription drug abuse or theft.”
According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. Additionally, national studies show that almost two-thirds of people who misuse prescription drugs get them from friends and family, including by raiding medicine cabinets, purses and drawers. DPH reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 293 people died in Delaware from drug overdoses in 2016, compared to 214 in 2015.
In addition to the 24 sites participating in Drug Take-Back Day activities, there are 21 permanent medicine drop-off locations across the state available year-round. Six of Delaware’s permanent drop-off sites are in Walgreens pharmacies and the other 15 are located in local law enforcement agencies.
Delawareans seeking help for drug addiction, medical providers seeking information on patient education and treatment resources, or individuals searching for information about naloxone training classes and how to use the medicine, can visit www.HelpIsHereDE.com. The website, Delaware’s one-stop-shopping resource for information about education, prevention and treatment options for addiction, also features short testimonial videos from Delawareans in long-term recovery, parents who lost adult children to overdoses, and others.
On Drug Take-Back Day, drugs for disposal must be in a container such as a pill bottle, box, blister pack, or zipped plastic bag, with personal information removed. Liquid medications must be in their original containers. Needles, aerosols, biohazard materials, medical equipment and batteries will not be accepted.
For more details and a list of permanent collection sites, visit DPH at dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html or call 302-744-4546, ext. 4.
Delaware’s Drug Take-Back Day sites for April 28, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are:
New Castle County
- Christiana Care Surgical Center, 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, Newark
- Delaware City Police Department, 407 Clinton St., Delaware City
- Delaware State Police Troop 2, 100 La Grange Ave., Newark
- Middletown Police Department, 130 Hampden Road, Middletown
- New Castle County Airport, 151 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
- New Castle County Police Department, 3601 N. DuPont Highway (permanent collection site)
- Shipley Manor Nursing Home, 2723 Shipley Road, Wilmington
- Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington
Kent County
- Atlantic Apothecary, 103. S. Dupont Blvd., Suite 2, Smyrna
- Camden Police Department, 1783 Friends Way, Camden (permanent collection site)
- Cheswold Police Department, 691 Main St., Cheswold
- Delaware State Police Troop 3, 3759 S. State St.
- Felton Police Department, 24 E. Sewell St., Felton (permanent collection site)
- Milford Police Department, 400 NE Front St., Milford (permanent collection site)
Sussex County
- City of Lewes Board of Public Works, 129 Schley Ave., Lewes
- Dagsboro Police Department, 33134 Main St., Dagsboro
- Delaware State Police Troop 7, 18006 Coastal Highway, Lewes
- Laurel Police Department, 205 Mechanic St., Laurel (permanent collection site)
- Milton Police Department, 101 Federal St., Milton
- Ocean View Police Department, 201 Central Ave., Ocean View, (permanent collection site)
- CVS Pharmacy, 36252 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville
- Lewes Ferry Terminal, 43 Cape Henlopen Road, Lewes
- Rehoboth Police Department, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
- Selbyville Town Hall, 68 W. Church St., Selbyville (permanent collection site)
For further information on addiction recognition, prevention and treatment, visit www.helpisherede.com.