Montgomery County residents will be able to legally dispose of excess prescription drugs on Saturday as part of Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
The Washington Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration is working with local law enforcement agencies, government, and public health organizations across the country to present the program—which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.—in an effort to prevent the increasing problems of pill abuse and theft that occur nationwide.
Police Chief J. Thomas Manger designated the county's six district stations and headquarters as dropoff locations. Each of these locations will accept expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs, police said. Illicit drugs and needles are not accepted as a part of this program.
Collection boxes will be available at the following locations:
- 1st District: 1451 Seven Locks Road, Rockville.
- 2nd District: 7359 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda.
- 3rd District: 801 Sligo Ave., Silver Spring.
- 4th District: 2300 Randolph Road, Wheaton.
- 5th District: 20000 Aircraft Drive, Germantown.
- 6th District: 45 West Watkins Mill Road, Gaithersburg.
- Headquarters: 2350 Research Blvd., Rockville.
Rockville City Police also will collect prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the station at , 111 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. Click here for more details.
Police said this is "an opportunity to safely clean out a medicine cabinet of drugs that are no longer needed" and recommend that all prescription labels be removed from bottles before dropping them off.
The DEA will incinerate all medications according to federal and state environmental guidelines once collection is completed.
