442 Pounds Of Drugs Collected At Drug Take Back Day In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Alexandria Sheriff's Office and Alexandria Police Department collected 442 pounds of unwanted drugs at the Drug Take Back Day last Saturday.

The Drug Take Back Day, held by the DEA in cooperation with local law enforcement, had four Alexandria sites to collect medications. The event aims to allow residents to turn in unwanted medications so they don't get misused or abused.

According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, millions of people every year misuse prescription pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers and sedatives. Nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid-involved overdoses that year.

While the Drug Take Back Day events draw notable collections of unwanted medications, the city has year-round drop boxes:

• The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mount Vernon Avenue), available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Inova Alexandria Hospital (4320 Seminary Road, inside the visitor's entrance and next to the cashier's window), available daily, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Alexandria Police Department (3600 Wheeler Avenue, inside the front entrance, ring bell for access); available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

While needles are not typically accepted at the drop boxes or Drug Take Back Day events, Inova Alexandria Hospital has a new permanent drop box for needles and syringes with the same location and hours as the permanent drop box for prescription drugs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency also have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs without leaving home. The city urges residents not to flush drugs down the toilet due to the environmental hazard to waterways. Free Deterra drug disposal pouches that can be requested through April 30.

For those without access to a drug disposal pouch, here some steps to safely dispose of unwanted medications:

• Check medication bottles for instructions on proper disposal.
• If no instructions are present, remove medication from its original container. Do not crush tablets or capsules.
• Mix medication with an undesirable, inedible substance, such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds.
• Place mixture in a sealable bag or container and throw away in the trash.
• Black out all personal information on the prescription label so it is unreadable.