Police stations to offer prescription drug disposal Saturday

In an effort to prevent pill abuse and theft, Montgomery County Police will host drop-off locations for expired or unwanted prescription drugs Saturday, April 30.

The public can dispose of old medicine at three Montgomery County locations between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.:

•  5th district station, 20000 Aircraft Drive, Germantown
• Police headquarters, 2350 Research Blvd., Rockville
• 2nd district station, 7359 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, in the lobby

The collection is intended to give the public an opportunity to safely empty out a medicine cabinet of drugs that are no longer needed --- no questions asked, according to a press release from police.

All sites will accept all types of pills, though the police are particularly interested in medications containing controlled substances. People are asked to remove or black out labels with personal information, though pills with such information will still be accepted. 

The effort is tied to the second-annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, a partnership among the Washington Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration law enforcement, government and public health departments nationwide.

The press release cited studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others that detected pharmaceutical drugs in the water. The release also cited a national survey that found seven of the 10 drugs most commonly abused by teenagers are prescription medications.  Many of the teens, according to the release, get the drugs from family and friends.