Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Disposal of Unwanted Medications

(Updated 4/13/15 with results)

There will be a "Drug Take Back" event for the disposal of unwanted medications on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

After that date, three permanent disposal boxes will be located at the Northern and Southern District Police Stations, and the Gary Arthur Community Center in Cooksville.

 From Howard County Police Department's web site hcpd.org:

NEWS RELEASE 4/13/15: 
Drug Take Back event collects 838 pounds of medication; new, permanent disposal boxes unveiled at three locations.
Howard County Police and HC DrugFree collected 838 pounds of unwanted, unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medication on April 11 in an effort to remove them from the community in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Drop-off locations included the Northern and Southern District Police Stations, five Community Policing Offices, the Gary Arthur Community Center, and HC DrugFree.
Residents dropped off medications for free disposal anonymously, with no questions asked. The collection containers were sealed and will be disposed of appropriately. Police did not inventory the contents.
The department also unveiled three permanent disposal boxes that are now available for use year-round. The permanent boxes are located at Northern District Station (3410 Courthouse Drive in Ellicott City), Southern District Station (11226 Scaggsville Road in Laurel) and Gary Arthur Community Center (2400 Route 97 in Cooksville). The district station locations are available 24/7; the community center location is available when the center is open to the public (Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed county holidays).

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NEWS RELEASE
HOWARD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF POLICE
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
For Release:
March 27, 2015 Contact: Sherry Llewellyn 410-313-2236
stllewellyn@howardcountymd.gov


Drug Take Back event scheduled in Howard County Saturday, April 11
New, permanent disposal boxes also will be unveiled in three locations

Howard County Police Department and HC Drug Free are teaming up to hold the next Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at nine locations throughout the county. The police department also is announcing the installation of three permanent disposal boxes at the two district police stations and a community center in Cooksville.

Drug Take Back events, like the one on April 11, allow residents to dispose of unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications safely and anonymously. The new permanent boxes will be fixtures maintained by the police department that will allow residents to drop off unwanted medications 365 days a year.

Studies show that two-thirds of teens who abuse prescription drugs are getting them from cabinets in the home. This program offers the community an environmentally-safe option to reduce the abuse and misuse of medication.

April 11 Drop Off Locations:
  • HC DrugFree, Wilde Lake Village Center, 5305 Village Center Drive, Columbia 21044
  • Harper’s Choice Community Policing Office, 5485 Harpers Farm Road, Columbia 21044
  • Long Reach Community Policing Office, 8775 Cloudleap Court, Columbia 21045
  • Oakland Mills Community Policing Office, 5820 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia 21045
  • Owen Brown Community Policing Office, 7154 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21045
  • North Laurel Community Policing Office, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723
  • Howard County Police Northern District, 3410 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City 21043
  • Howard County Police Southern District, 11226 Scaggsville Road, Laurel 20723
  • Gary Arthur Community Center, 2400 Route 97, Cooksville 21723

Permanent Drop-Off Boxes:

After April 11, the new permanent drop-off boxes will be maintained by Howard County Police at: 

  • Northern District Police Station, Warfield Building, 3410 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD  21043
  • Southern District Police Station, 11226 Scaggsville Road, Laurel, MD 20723
  • Gary Arthur (Glenwood) Community Center, 2400 MD-97, Cooksville, MD 21723

One of the three boxes was donated by CVS Pharmacy through the company’s “Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Programto help remove unwanted, unused or expired medications from the community in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

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