MCHD supports Take Back Day for prescription medicines 10.25.2023

October 25, 2023

MCHD supports Take Back Day for prescription medicines

MOBILE, Ala. — Opioid overdose deaths and emergency room overdose visits have increased. The Drug Enforcement Administration announced its next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 28.

At its last Take Back Day in April, the DEA collected a large amount of expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications, with the public turning in 663,725 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites. Since its inception in 2010, DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day has removed more than 17 million pounds of unnecessary medications from communities across the country.

The public can drop off expired, unwanted, and unused prescription medications at collection sites across our community. You can learn more about the event by visiting https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the following organization will have sites established: The Mobile Police Department will provide a drop-off location at its headquarters (2460 Government Street in Mobile). The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office will have drop-off locations at Costco (1450 Tingle Circle East in Mobile), Walgreens #15151 (5705 Cottage Hill Road in Mobile), Walgreens #6085 (5530 Three North Road in Mobile), CVS #4888 (4453 Old Shell Road in Mobile), and CVS #7671 (1401 Hillcrest Road in Mobile).

“It is important to note that prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved to be abused or illegally sold, and drugs flushed down toilets can contaminate the water supply,” said Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “Many studies show that the unused prescription drugs can find their way into the wrong hands, creating a dangerous and often tragic situation in our families and communities.”

The Mobile County Health Department’s Overdose Prevention program plans to have a booth set up at the Mobile Police Department headquarters. The Overdose Prevention program focuses on the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose epidemic. It highlights the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive public health approach. For more information, call 251-410- 6322.