Get Rid of Unused Prescription Medications April 22 10-2 or Any Day

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), many people who begin to abuse prescription opioids get them for free in the medicine cabinets of family and friends. Safely disposing unused medications is one of the many important steps to take to lower addiction rates in the country. In response to this public-health and safety issue, the United States Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with other local community partners, has created a one-day initiative, held twice a year, called National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The next event is scheduled for April 22, 2023, from 10am-2pm, and a list of participating collection sites near you can be found here. Programs like this provide an environmentally safe alternative to flushing medications down the toilet where they may not be completely removed by the sewage treatment process or discarding them with household garbage where they may enter the groundwater supply.

Safe and anonymous disposal of medicine is a year-round activity in Vermont through the state’s provision of convenient and secure drop off kiosks that are not limited to the national one-day initiative. The Vermont Department of Health’s (VDH) website provides an online map and listing of all permanent collection sites in the state as well as other resources. These drop off locations help Vermonters dispose of unused and expired controlled substances, non-controlled substances and even over the counter medications. Local police and sheriff’s departments, hospitals, and many local pharmacies now offer this important service to their community members. If transportation is an issue, VDH offers a way to mail back medication using a postage-free envelope. For more information, please visit their webpage.

So, become part of the solution and take back your meds! It is an important step we can take for the people we love and the communities in which we live. For information about your nearest drop-off sites and hours call 211 from any phone, text your zip code to 898211, Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 10:00pm, or email at info@vermont211.org.