Event is free and anonymous, DEA stresses
From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, the Sarasota Police Department will partner with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, and Drug-Free Sarasota for the DEA National Take Back Day, the Police Department has announced.
The event will allow residents of the community “to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a news release explains. While a drop-box in the lobby of the Sarasota Police Department is available year-round, residents are encouraged to bring expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs to two drop-off locations for part of the National Take Back Day on April 22, the release adds:
- Sarasota Police Department Headquarters, located at 2099 Adams Lane in downtown Sarasota.
- The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, standing at 1750 17th St. in Sarasota. This is a drive-through location that will be accepting sharps as well as liquids, the release points out.
DEA National Take Back Day “addresses a vital public safety and public health issue,” the release explains. Medications in home cabinets “are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse,” the release points out. “Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse. Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved, abused, or illegally sold. Proper disposal of unused drugs can save lives and protect the environment. Prescription drugs unused and flushed can contaminate water supplies.”
Drop-off sites can be used to collect tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs, the release adds.
The DEA National Take Back Day is free and anonymous, with no questions asked, the release points out.
During the last National Take-Back Day, in October 2022, the DEA collected 324 tons (647,163 pounds) of expired, unwanted and unused prescription medications nationwide, the release adds. “Clearing out unused medicine is essential, with studies indicating many abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including home medicine cabinets,” the release says.
Learn more about the event at www.deatakeback.com or by calling 800-882-9539.