Today is the DEA’s National “Take Back Day,” a semi-annual event where you can clean out your medicine cabinet and drop off old prescription drugs, which the DEA says is even more important this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dispose of unused prescription medications safely on Take Back Day. Click image to go to site to check a collection site near you.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 85,516 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending August 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the COVID-19 health emergency but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.
“As the nation’s overdose death toll continues to rise, it’s now more important than ever to safely dispose of any medications you no longer need in your home medicine cabinet,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “This is a great opportunity for all of us to work together, to make our communities safer by keeping prescription drugs out of the wrong hands.”
The DEA’s October 2020 Take Back Day brought in a record-high amount of expired, unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs, including over eight tons in Kentucky. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs, with nearly 90 tons in Kentucky alone. With studies indicating the majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential.
“It’s important to keep our own homes safe by regularly cleaning out medicine cabinets and any other areas where we store our pharmaceuticals,” said Acting DEA Administrator D. Christopher Evans. “Bringing unused or expired medications to a local collection site for safe disposal helps protect your loved ones and the environment.”
The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at collection sites which will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
There are more than 90 drop-off locations across Kentucky. “>You can find a list here.
A special drop-off event being promoted by the Northern Kentucky Health Department and run through the National Institutes for Health, HEAL Initiative coordinated by the University of Kentucky, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kroger at 1525 Madison Ave. See HERE for details.
There are other options in Covington that help you prevent accidental poisonings and overdoses by getting rid of unused prescription medication:
Unused medication can be dropped off 24/7 in this box in the lobby of Covington Police headquarters.
• The Covington Police Station at 20th and Madison has a drop-off box that’s available 24/7 in the lobby. The box is supported through the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators and is managed by the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Task Force.
• Save Discount Drugs at 716 Madison Ave. and CVS pharmacy at 4305 Winston Ave. in Latonia also have drop-off boxes that are available during store hours.
For details about disposing of unused medicines at home (including a list of “flushable” prescriptions), see HERE or HERE.
