April 22 is the next U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day with drop-off sites across the country.
In Bowie, the drop-off box is located in the lobby of the Bowie Police Department. The box is available each day, but citizens are welcome to bring their items Saturday.
Take Back Day is your chance to rid your medicine cabinet of unneeded and unwanted medication. During the Take Back Day, citizens helped collect more than 647,000 pounds of unneeded medications. The DEA staff hopes to beat that number.
Collection sites are located around the country and will be collecting tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
Drug overdoses skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 101,000 drug overdose deaths were reported in the 12 month period ending October 2022, compared to 69,000 deaths in the 12 months ending October 2019, almost a 32% increase. Disposing of unneeded or expired medications can help to fight this crisis, as many abused prescription drugs are found in the home.
These items also should not be flushed into the city’s water system or placed in the trash where someone could find them.