On Saturday, October 29, 2022 – from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Prince William County Police Department, the City of Manassas Police Department and the City of Haymarket Police Department will join the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of USA and community groups to provide you with a safe and legal way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. . Simply drop them off at the collection sites at UVA Health System's Prince William Medical Center, UVA Health System's Haymarket Medical Center, or Sentara Healthcare Lake Ridge Medical Center.
I knew it? (Source: DEA)
Unused or expired prescription drugs are a public safety concern, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse.
Pharmaceutical drugs are just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or without a doctor's supervision.
Unused prescription drugs that are thrown in the trash can be recovered and illegally abused or sold. They can also contaminate groundwater or soil. Unused medications that are discarded can contaminate the water supply. Proper disposal of unused medications saves lives and protects the environment.
Take-back programs are the best way to dispose of old medications. But if no program is available, take the medications out of their bottles, mix them with something nasty like used cat litter or coffee grounds, and seal them in a disposable bag or container and throw them away.
During this initiative, prescription and over-the-counter solid dosage medications (ie tablets and capsules) will be accepted. Vape pens and e-cigarettes will also be accepted AFTER the batteries have been removed. Intravenous solutions, injectables, needles, hydrogen peroxide, compressed cylinders (asthma inhalers, for example), medications containing iodine, and thermometers will not be accepted. Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine will also not be accepted on National Retirement Day. To protect your privacy, you may use a permanent marker to erase your personal information on the labels, if you cannot remove them, before returning them.
For more information, call the Crime Prevention Unit at (703) 792-7270.
