Gaithersburg Police To Offer Free Prescription Take-Back Event

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Local residents will have the opportunity to get rid of unused, unwanted, or expired prescriptions as part of a local effort to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft, the Gaithersburg Police Department announced on Friday.

The Drug Takeback initiative event will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April 24 at the Gaithersburg Police Department, which is located at 14 Fulks Corner Ave. Residents will be able to drop the prescriptions off as part of an anonymous, no questions asked, service, which is being offered at no charge to local residents. In addition, a prescription drop-off box is located inside the lobby of the police department. No liquids or syringes will be accepted at the take back event.

Local police officials said that the national prescription drug take-back program addresses a vital public safety and health issue. Studies have shown that unused or expired prescriptions that remain in people’s homes can often lead to misuse or abuse. In addition, the rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States remain alarmingly high as do the number of accidental poisonings or overdoses.

Studies also show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family members or from homes and are often taken from unmonitored medicine cabinets where prescriptions are often left. Improper disposal of the prescription drugs, including flushing them down the toilet or disposing of them in other ways such as simply throwing them in the trash can cause potential health and safety hazards, police officials said.

The City of Gaithersburg offers several substance abuse services and encourages local residents seeking help or knowing of others in need of help to seek information. Information about available programs are available in English here and in Spanish here. For community support resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, residents can get information here.