National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

As the United States is at a peak in opioid drug deaths, several locations in the Capital Region are trying to help people dispose of unused drugs safely.

Tomorrow, April 24, 2021 is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and several locations throughout the Capital Region will be participating from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

According to News 10, during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, residents are encouraged to dispose of used medication to prevent accidental poisoning and to protect the environment.

Recent studies have shown that two children in the United States die daily from drug poisoning and nearly 400 children are treated in the emergency room daily after ingesting drugs. Many of these accidental overdoses happen in the home and the medicine typically belongs to a family member.

Studies have also shown that people have attempted to dispose of unwanted medication by rinsing them down the sink or flushing them down the toilet. Both of these methods are strongly discouraged because the medications are polluting ecosystems and waterways.

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National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day in the Capital Region will take place at the following locations in the Albany area:

Albany County Sheriff’s Office; Albany Police Department;
Bethlehem Police Department; Colonie Police Department; Guilderland Police
Department; Watervliet Police Department; . East. Greenbush Police Department
North Greenbush Police Department; Hoosick Falls Police Department; Troy
Police Department; Rensselaer City Police Department; Rensselaer County
Sheriff’s Office; Mechanicsville Police Department; Saratoga County Sheriff's
Office; Saratoga Police Department; Rotterdam Police Department; Schenectady
County Sheriff’s Office; Schenectady Police Department; Town of Glenville Police
Department; Town of Niskayuna Town Hall.

This is just a partial list of locations that will be accepting unused drugs. For a complete list of locations please visit the DEA’s website.