April 30th is National Drug Take Back Day

Person depositing drug bottle into Drug Take Back drop box

National Drug Take Back Day encourages you to clean out your cabinets of drugs of any type: prescription, over-the-counter or illegal, expired, unused, or unwanted drugs--including prescription drugs for pain, like opioids, ointments, vitamins, samples, even medications for pets.

The Homer Police Department provides a drug drop box in the station’s entrance lobby to safely dispose of drugs, anytime day or night, no questions asked.  The service is free and anonymous.  And it’s easy. Just drop the pills, bottles, tubes or patches – or whatever the form of the drug – with any personal prescription information removed into the special drop box.

This disposal program is a simple, sensible way to reduce the amount of drugs entering the environment or inadvertently contributing to drug abuse.

Medicines flushed or poured down the drain, or thrown in the landfill can end up polluting our surface, ground and marine waters, impacting aquatic species and contaminating our water supplies.  Even low levels in the soil can be toxic to people and wildlife.  Just as we don’t put used motor oil or leftover paint thinner in our regular trash, don’t put potent pharmaceutical chemicals into the trash.

Prescription drug abuse is alarmingly high.  At South Peninsula Hospital for fiscal year 2015 there were 10 opioid overdoses and 75 visits related to opioid addiction and abuse.  A national study revealed that over half of teens abusing medicines get them from family or a friend, including the home medicine cabinet, and often without their knowledge. 

Please remember to dispose of your unused prescriptions and other drugs properly.  Bring them in today!  And after you do, there’s no reason to wait for the next National Drug Take Back Day.  The drop box is available year-round at the Homer Police Department so every day can be a drug take-back day!

Paper bag with various prescription drug containers in it