Joint Release:
St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
St. Mary’s County Health Department
LEONARDTOWN, MD (April 10, 2018) – On Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the St. Mary’s County Health Department will host a medication collection event for the community. This gives the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Please note: Needles and medical sharps cannot be collected at this time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Bring your pills for disposal to one of three locations:
- Sheriff’s Office District 1 Station: 37575 Charlotte Hall School Road, Charlotte Hall
- Sheriff’s Office Headquarters: 23150 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown
- St. Mary’s Square parking lot: 21600 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park
In past years, St. Mary’s County residents have turned in over 1.5 million prescription pills at community events and medication collection sites operated by the Sheriff’s Office. National Take Back events, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public health and safety issue. 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. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of medical waste, prescription drugs and the April 28 Take Back Day event, visit: www.smchd.org/medical-waste-and-sharps-disposal
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