October 24th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
The Maryland State Police, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, are asking citizens to dispose of unwanted prescription drugs during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, set for Saturday, Octoberl 30, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at state police barracks.
State police barracks throughout Maryland will be participating in National Drug Take-Back Day. Each barrack will act as a collection station giving citizens an opportunity to dispose of all unwanted and unused prescription drugs. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
Second, only to marijuana, non-medical prescription drugs are the most commonly used drug in the country. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs are finding an unlimited supply in their family’s medicine cabinet.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.
As part of Maryland’s combined effort to reduce opioid abuse, Maryland State Police barracks across the state have become around-the-clock drop-off locations for unused prescription medications. All 23 Maryland State Police barracks are now equipped with secure drug collection boxes and available around the clock for unused medication drop-off. No questions will be asked when deposits are made. Citizens can locate the closest Maryland State Police barrack by visiting:
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